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Billing code 69502: MastoidectomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports complete surgical removal of diseased mastoid air cells, typically for chronic ear disease, when the operative extent supports this level of mastoid surgery.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities338 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $840.37 for 69502 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 69502

Mastoidectomy

Work RVUs
12.25
Total RVUs
25.16
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$840.37

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 69502 →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 69502 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 69502 covers

An otolaryngologist performs this operation to open the mastoid behind the ear and remove diseased air cells. Typical indications include chronic mastoid infection or cholesteatoma involving the mastoid. The operative report should make clear the extent of the dissection and distinguish it from a more limited mastoid operation or a more extensive procedure. This service is generally performed in a hospital or other surgical facility.

Select the code from the documented operative work, not the diagnosis alone. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces the others to 50%. For bilateral surgery, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 69502 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

69502 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$767.89
Alaska*Unavailable$1,042.07
ArizonaUnavailable$820.21
ArkansasUnavailable$758.88
AtlantaUnavailable$859.62
AustinUnavailable$855.85
BakersfieldUnavailable$860.26
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$888.25
BeaumontUnavailable$802.70
BrazoriaUnavailable$827.07

69502 rates by state

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

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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
69502 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 69502 rate is calculated

Each of 69502’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 · 69502

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work12.25

12.25 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense11.11

11.11 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.80

1.80 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

25.1600

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$840.37

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 69502

69502 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 69502

Mastoidectomy

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)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.07/0.79/0.14Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 69502

Mastoidectomy

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned 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 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

69502 without 50 · national facility

$840.37

Mastoidectomy

69502-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,260.56

Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).

When to use modifier 50

69502 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

  • 69502

    Mastoidectomy12.25 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 69501

    Mastoidectomy8.98 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 69505

    Mastoidectomy12.84 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 69511

    Mastoid surgery13.36 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

69501Mastoidectomy
69501 represents a more limited mastoid operation. Report 69502 when the operative documentation supports the complete mastoid dissection rather than the limited service.
69505Mastoidectomy
69505 represents a modified radical mastoid operation. The surgeon’s documented operative technique and extent distinguish it from 69502.
69511Mastoid surgery
69511 is for a radical mastoid operation, a different and broader operative service. Do not select it solely because the case involves severe disease.

Codes related to 69502

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

Codes related to 69502
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
69501MastoidectomyA more limited mastoid operation in the same code family.No office rate
69505MastoidectomyA modified radical mastoid operation with a different operative extent.No office rate
69511Mastoid surgeryA radical mastoid operation distinguished by its broader surgical extent.No office rate
69530Mastoid surgeryAn extensive mastoid procedure in the same surgical code family.No office rate

69502 billing questions

How is this different from 69501?

The distinction is the extent of the mastoid operation. Use the operative report to determine whether the work is the complete dissection represented by 69502 or the more limited operation represented by 69501.

When should 69505 be considered instead?

69505 represents a modified radical mastoid operation. Choose between it and 69502 based on the operative extent and technique documented, rather than the diagnosis by itself.

How should bilateral surgery be reported?

Report bilateral surgery with modifier 50. CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.

Can an assistant-at-surgery claim be submitted?

Yes, when the record documents medical necessity for the assistant. CMS does not permit co-surgeon or team-surgery reporting for this code.

What postoperative care is included?

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

What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in that session are paid at 50% under the standard multiple procedure reduction.

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 69502PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,610 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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