$72.56–$106.36
Use 69205 for external ear canal foreign-body removal under general anesthesia. Use 69200 when the removal is performed without general anesthesia.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
69205 Ear foreign body removal Medicare reimbursement rates
Removal of a foreign object from the external ear canal under general anesthesia, typically when safe extraction requires the patient to remain still. Compare 69205 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 69205?
The service location and office or facility setting determine which base rate applies. These are the supported base rates for the 109 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$78.78–$107.96
109 of 109 localities have a supported rate.
Lowest: Arkansas
Highest: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
A spread of $29.18 per service.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Where 69205 pays more and less
Otolaryngology procedure
About 69205: External ear canal foreign body removal with anesthesia
Removal of a foreign object from the external ear canal under general anesthesia, typically when safe extraction requires the patient to remain still.
This service removes a discrete foreign object from the external auditory canal while the patient is under general anesthesia. It may be used for a child who cannot safely tolerate extraction while awake, or when an object is lodged in a way that makes movement during removal unsafe. An otolaryngologist or another qualified clinician performs the extraction, commonly in an operating room or procedure setting equipped for general anesthesia. Examples include an object placed in the canal by a child; impacted cerumen is not a foreign body for this code.
Report 69205 when the documented procedure removes a foreign body under general anesthesia; removal without general anesthesia is reported with 69200. The record should identify the object or foreign material, the ear treated, the extraction performed, and the use of general anesthesia. Medicare includes related postoperative visits during the 10-day global 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. Modifier 50 applies to bilateral performance, paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 69205
- Global period
- Minor procedure with a 10-day global period: related postoperative visits for 10 days are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Statutory restriction: assistant at surgery is not paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU1.18 · 45%
- Practice expense (office) RVU1.27 · 48%
- Malpractice RVU0.17 · 6%
490
Medicare services in 2024 · #3585 by national volume
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.
69205 compared with similar codes
Office rate ranges across all CMS payment localities, from the same CMS release.
$14.52–$24.26
69209 describes removal of impacted cerumen by irrigation or lavage. It is not the code for extracting a discrete foreign object.
$43.00–$60.21
69210 describes instrumental removal of impacted cerumen. Choose 69205 for a foreign body removed under general anesthesia, not for wax removal.
See how rates vary across the country
69205 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.
Explore a state
Local rates. Clear comparisons.
Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.
View all state and territory rates as a table
| State / territory | Rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | No published base rate | 1 |
| AL | No published base rate | 1 |
| AR | No published base rate | 1 |
| AZ | No published base rate | 1 |
| CA | No published base rate | 29 |
| CO | No published base rate | 1 |
| CT | No published base rate | 1 |
| DC | No published base rate | 1 |
| DE | No published base rate | 1 |
| FL | No published base rate | 3 |
| GA | No published base rate | 2 |
| GU | No published base rate | 1 |
| HI | No published base rate | 1 |
| IA | No published base rate | 1 |
| ID | No published base rate | 1 |
| IL | No published base rate | 4 |
| IN | No published base rate | 1 |
| KS | No published base rate | 1 |
| KY | No published base rate | 1 |
| LA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MD | No published base rate | 3 |
| ME | No published base rate | 2 |
| MI | No published base rate | 2 |
| MN | No published base rate | 1 |
| MO | No published base rate | 3 |
| MS | No published base rate | 1 |
| MT | No published base rate | 1 |
| NC | No published base rate | 1 |
| ND | No published base rate | 1 |
| NE | No published base rate | 1 |
| NH | No published base rate | 1 |
| NJ | No published base rate | 2 |
| NM | No published base rate | 1 |
| NV | No published base rate | 1 |
| NY | No published base rate | 5 |
| OH | No published base rate | 1 |
| OK | No published base rate | 1 |
| OR | No published base rate | 2 |
| PA | No published base rate | 2 |
| PR | No published base rate | 1 |
| RI | No published base rate | 1 |
| SC | No published base rate | 1 |
| SD | No published base rate | 1 |
| TN | No published base rate | 1 |
| TX | No published base rate | 8 |
| UT | No published base rate | 1 |
| VA | No published base rate | 2 |
| VI | No published base rate | 1 |
| VT | No published base rate | 1 |
| WA | No published base rate | 2 |
| WI | No published base rate | 1 |
| WV | No published base rate | 1 |
| WY | No published base rate | 1 |
Compare 69205 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Office Unavailable | Facility $79.74 |
| Alaska* | Office Unavailable | Facility $107.42 |
| Arizona | Office Unavailable | Facility $85.38 |
| Arkansas | Office Unavailable | Facility $78.78 |
| Atlanta | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.45 |
| Austin | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.40 |
| Bakersfield | Office Unavailable | Facility $90.11 |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | Office Unavailable | Facility $92.58 |
| Beaumont | Office Unavailable | Facility $83.29 |
| Brazoria | Office Unavailable | Facility $86.19 |
| Chicago | Office Unavailable | Facility $95.35 |
| Chico | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.62 |
| Colorado | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.45 |
| Connecticut | Office Unavailable | Facility $92.76 |
| Dallas | Office Unavailable | Facility $86.89 |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | Office Unavailable | Facility $97.83 |
| Delaware | Office Unavailable | Facility $86.62 |
| Detroit | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.92 |
| East St. Louis | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.87 |
| El Centro | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.65 |
| Fort Lauderdale | Office Unavailable | Facility $92.65 |
| Fort Worth | Office Unavailable | Facility $86.54 |
| Fresno | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.62 |
| Galveston | Office Unavailable | Facility $86.55 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.62 |
| Hawaii, Guam | Office Unavailable | Facility $90.93 |
| Houston | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.66 |
| Idaho | Office Unavailable | Facility $81.12 |
| Indiana | Office Unavailable | Facility $81.50 |
| Iowa | Office Unavailable | Facility $80.48 |
| Kansas | Office Unavailable | Facility $80.62 |
| Kentucky | Office Unavailable | Facility $82.32 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $94.98 |
| Madera | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.62 |
| Manhattan | Office Unavailable | Facility $100.23 |
| Merced | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.62 |
| Metropolitan Boston | Office Unavailable | Facility $96.73 |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | Office Unavailable | Facility $84.79 |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | Office Unavailable | Facility $91.05 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | Office Unavailable | Facility $85.49 |
| Miami | Office Unavailable | Facility $97.93 |
| Minnesota | Office Unavailable | Facility $84.74 |
| Mississippi | Office Unavailable | Facility $80.13 |
| Modesto | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.62 |
| Montana** | Office Unavailable | Facility $87.50 |
| Napa | Office Unavailable | Facility $100.69 |
| Nebraska | Office Unavailable | Facility $80.71 |
| Nevada** | Office Unavailable | Facility $86.60 |
| New Hampshire | Office Unavailable | Facility $88.54 |
| New Mexico | Office Unavailable | Facility $85.13 |
| New Orleans | Office Unavailable | Facility $85.78 |
| North Carolina | Office Unavailable | Facility $82.62 |
| North Dakota** | Office Unavailable | Facility $84.14 |
| Northern Nj | Office Unavailable | Facility $97.17 |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | Office Unavailable | Facility $102.92 |
| Ohio | Office Unavailable | Facility $83.87 |
| Oklahoma | Office Unavailable | Facility $81.71 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | Office Unavailable | Facility $94.19 |
| Portland | Office Unavailable | Facility $91.40 |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | Office Unavailable | Facility $94.51 |
| Puerto Rico | Office Unavailable | Facility $87.89 |
| Queens | Office Unavailable | Facility $100.26 |
| Redding | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.62 |
| Rest Of California | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.62 |
| Rest Of Florida | Office Unavailable | Facility $88.50 |
| Rest Of Georgia | Office Unavailable | Facility $84.02 |
| Rest Of Illinois | Office Unavailable | Facility $87.02 |
| Rest Of Louisiana | Office Unavailable | Facility $82.39 |
| Rest Of Maine | Office Unavailable | Facility $81.97 |
| Rest Of Maryland | Office Unavailable | Facility $87.95 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.24 |
| Rest Of Michigan | Office Unavailable | Facility $84.55 |
| Rest Of Missouri | Office Unavailable | Facility $81.51 |
| Rest Of New Jersey | Office Unavailable | Facility $93.54 |
| Rest Of New York | Office Unavailable | Facility $83.70 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Office Unavailable | Facility $85.65 |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | Office Unavailable | Facility $83.72 |
| Rest Of Texas | Office Unavailable | Facility $84.80 |
| Rest Of Washington | Office Unavailable | Facility $88.91 |
| Rhode Island | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.05 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | Office Unavailable | Facility $91.46 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | Office Unavailable | Facility $93.21 |
| Salinas | Office Unavailable | Facility $92.84 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Office Unavailable | Facility $94.41 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $105.57 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $105.38 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $107.96 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $107.17 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Office Unavailable | Facility $91.44 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | Office Unavailable | Facility $94.82 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Office Unavailable | Facility $93.02 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | Office Unavailable | Facility $95.73 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $98.07 |
| South Carolina | Office Unavailable | Facility $83.43 |
| South Dakota** | Office Unavailable | Facility $83.74 |
| Southern Maine | Office Unavailable | Facility $85.03 |
| Stockton | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.62 |
| Suburban Chicago | Office Unavailable | Facility $93.32 |
| Tennessee | Office Unavailable | Facility $81.02 |
| Utah | Office Unavailable | Facility $84.39 |
| Vallejo | Office Unavailable | Facility $100.41 |
| Vermont | Office Unavailable | Facility $84.28 |
| Virgin Islands | Office Unavailable | Facility $87.89 |
| Virginia | Office Unavailable | Facility $85.12 |
| Visalia | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.62 |
| West Virginia | Office Unavailable | Facility $84.40 |
| Wisconsin | Office Unavailable | Facility $81.80 |
| Wyoming** | Office Unavailable | Facility $86.03 |
| Yuba City | Office Unavailable | Facility $89.62 |
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69205 billing questions
How is 69205 different from 69200?
Both involve removal of a foreign body from the external ear canal. Use 69205 when removal is performed under general anesthesia; 69200 describes removal without general anesthesia.
Can 69205 be used for impacted earwax?
No. It is for removal of a foreign body, not cerumen. For impacted cerumen, the applicable code depends on the removal method: irrigation or lavage versus instrumentation.
Are postoperative visits separately reported during the global period?
Related postoperative visits for 10 days are included in the code's minor-procedure global period.
How should bilateral removal be reported?
For a bilateral procedure, report modifier 50. CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 69205. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What documentation supports reporting 69205?
Document the foreign body, the ear treated, the removal performed, and that the procedure was under general anesthesia. The record should distinguish a foreign object from impacted cerumen.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
7,59069150,,Extensive ear canal surgery,A,,13.27,11.62,NA,11.62,,2.06,26.95,26.95,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,0,1,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,59169155,,Extensive ear/neck surgery,A,,22.77,16.76,NA,16.76,,3.32,42.85,42.85,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,59269200,,Clear outer ear canal,A,,0.75,1.59,,0.39,,0.11,2.45,1.25,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,59369205,,Clear outer ear canal,A,,1.18,1.27,NA,1.27,,0.17,2.62,2.62,0,010,0.10,0.80,0.10,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,59469209,,Remove impacted ear wax uni,A,,0.00,0.50,,0.50,NA,0.01,0.51,0.51,5,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,59569210,,Remove impacted ear wax uni,A,,0.59,0.77,,0.15,,0.07,1.43,0.81,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,2,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,59669220,,Clean out mastoid cavity,A,,0.81,1.42,,0.40,,0.12,2.35,1.33,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00