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Billing code 32310: Pleura removalMedicare rate & RVUs

Thoracic surgeons remove parietal pleura, commonly to reduce recurrent pneumothorax when the operation does not include pulmonary decortication.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities63 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $889.47 for 32310 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 32310

Pleura removal

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
14.9
Total RVUs
26.63
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$889.47

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 32310 → · 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 32310 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 32310 covers

A thoracic surgeon removes pleura lining the inside of the chest wall. This operation may be performed for recurrent pneumothorax, where pleural removal promotes adherence between the lung and chest wall and helps prevent another collapse. The code describes removal of parietal pleura; it does not describe stripping a fibrous rind from the lung surface. It is an operating-room service, generally performed by a thoracic surgeon.

Report the service when documentation supports parietal pleural excision and distinguishes it from a more extensive operation that includes pulmonary decortication. The operative report should identify the indication, the tissue removed, and any additional lung or pleural work. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others are subject to a 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeons require supporting documentation, and 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 32310 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

32310 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$801.79
Alaska*Unavailable$1,099.39
ArizonaUnavailable$863.17
ArkansasUnavailable$791.14
AtlantaUnavailable$920.40
AustinUnavailable$891.64
BakersfieldUnavailable$875.54
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$946.57
BeaumontUnavailable$856.58
BrazoriaUnavailable$863.49

32310 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
32310 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 32310 rate is calculated

Each of 32310’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 · 32310

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 14.90Practice expense 7.98Malpractice 3.75

26.6300 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$889.47

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 32310

32310 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 32310

Pleura removal

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 · 32310

Pleura removal

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

32310 without 51 · national facility

$889.47

Pleura removal

32310-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$444.74

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

32310 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

32310 vs 32320 vs 32650 vs 32656: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 32310
    Pleura removal · 14.9 wRVU
    —
  • 32320
    Pulmonary decortication · 26.57 wRVU
    —
  • 32650
    Pleurodesis · 10.56 wRVU
    —
  • 32656
    Thoracoscopic pleurectomy · 12.93 wRVU
    —

How to choose

32320Pulmonary decortication
Use 32310 for parietal pleural removal without pulmonary decortication. Use 32320 when the operation includes decortication of the lung.
32650Pleurodesis
32650 describes thoracoscopic pleurodesis. 32310 describes parietal pleural removal rather than thoracoscopic pleurodesis.
32656Thoracoscopic pleurectomy
32656 includes thoracoscopic resection of blebs with pleurodesis. 32310 is for parietal pleural removal, not bleb resection.

Codes related to 32310

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

Codes related to 32310
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
32320Pulmonary decorticationUsed when pulmonary decortication accompanies pleural removal.No office rate
32650PleurodesisThoracoscopic pleurodesis is a different operative approach for pleural-space treatment.No office rate
32656Thoracoscopic pleurectomyThoracoscopic bleb resection with pleurodesis is a different approach for selected pneumothorax cases.No office rate

32310 billing questions

How is this different from 32320?

32310 represents removal of parietal pleura. Choose 32320 when the operation also includes pulmonary decortication, or removal of a restrictive layer from the lung.

Can this be reported with another thoracic procedure?

A more comprehensive operation may include pleural removal as part of its work. Review the operative report and do not separately report this service when it is integral to the larger procedure.

Should modifier 50 be used for bilateral pleural removal?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.

What documentation supports reporting 32310?

Document the indication, the parietal pleura removed, and whether the surgeon also performed lung decortication or another more extensive operation.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeons require supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

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 32310PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,708 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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