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Billing code 31780: Tracheal reconstructionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports reconstruction of the cervical trachea involving removal of a diseased segment and restoration of the airway, commonly for fixed tracheal narrowing.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities51 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,030.42 for 31780 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 31780

Tracheal reconstruction

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
19.34
Total RVUs
30.85
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,030.42

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 31780 → · Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 31780 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 31780 covers

This code represents surgical reconstruction of the cervical trachea when a segment is removed and the remaining airway is reconnected. It is commonly used for significant cervical tracheal stenosis or structural injury requiring segmental reconstruction. The operation is generally performed in a hospital operating room by a thoracic surgeon or an otolaryngologist with airway reconstruction expertise. The operative report should establish that the reconstructed portion is cervical and describe the resection and restoration of tracheal continuity.

Choose this code for cervical tracheal reconstruction rather than an intrathoracic tracheal or carinal reconstruction. Documentation should identify the diseased site, extent of resection, and reconstructive work. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation. Team surgery is not permitted.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

Where 31780 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

31780 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$953.26
Alaska*Unavailable$1,329.98
ArizonaUnavailable$1,007.86
ArkansasUnavailable$943.81
AtlantaUnavailable$1,055.93
AustinUnavailable$1,037.81
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,033.73
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,084.27
BeaumontUnavailable$997.61
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,012.25

31780 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
31780 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 31780 rate is calculated

Each of 31780’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

How the rate is built · 31780

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 19.34Practice expense 8.69Malpractice 2.82

30.8500 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,030.42

All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 31780

31780 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 31780

Tracheal reconstruction

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.76/0.14Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 31780

Tracheal reconstruction

90-day global period ends

Dec 30, 2026

Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.

  • 24 Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79 Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58 Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78 Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

31780 without 51 · national facility

$1,030.42

Tracheal reconstruction

31780-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$515.21

When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).

When to use modifier 51

31780 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

31780 vs 31781 vs 31750 vs 31760 vs 31766: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 31780
    Tracheal reconstruction · 19.34 wRVU
    —
  • 31781
    Tracheal reconstruction · 24.23 wRVU
    —
  • 31750
    Tracheoplasty · 15.01 wRVU
    —
  • 31760
    Tracheoplasty · 22.89 wRVU
    —
  • 31766
    Airway reconstruction · 30.88 wRVU
    —

How to choose

31781Tracheal reconstruction
Use 31780 for cervical tracheal reconstruction and 31781 when the reconstructed tracheal segment is intrathoracic.
31750Tracheoplasty
31750 describes cervical tracheoplasty. This code is for cervical tracheal reconstruction involving segmental resection and restoration of continuity.
31760Tracheoplasty
31760 is intrathoracic tracheoplasty; this code concerns reconstruction of the cervical trachea.
31766Airway reconstruction
31766 is used when reconstruction involves the carina, the airway junction where the trachea divides into the main bronchi.

Codes related to 31780

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 31780
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
31781Tracheal reconstructionIntrathoracic tracheal reconstruction; select according to the location of the reconstructed segment.No office rate
Used instead
31750TracheoplastyCervical tracheoplasty; distinguish the reported operation from cervical reconstruction involving segmental resection and reconnection.No office rate
31760TracheoplastyIntrathoracic tracheoplasty; applies to a different tracheal location and operative procedure.No office rate
31766Airway reconstructionReconstruction involving the carina, rather than reconstruction confined to the cervical trachea.No office rate

31780 billing questions

How do I distinguish this code from 31781?

This code is for reconstruction of the cervical trachea. Code 31781 is the corresponding code for intrathoracic tracheal reconstruction.

What documentation supports reporting this code?

The operative report should identify the cervical tracheal site and document segmental resection and reconstruction, including restoration of airway continuity.

Does the code include related postoperative care?

Yes. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period that includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.

How are other same-session procedures paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures performed in the same session are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.

Should modifier 50 be used for bilateral reconstruction?

No. Bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for the descriptor and anatomy.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 31780PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,673 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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