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Billing code 69720: Facial nerve releaseMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports surgical decompression of the facial nerve within the temporal bone, lateral to the geniculate ganglion, for selected cases of nerve compression.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities115 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,059.81 for 69720 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 69720

Facial nerve release

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
14.34
Total RVUs
31.73
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,059.81

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 69720 → · 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 69720 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 69720 covers

An otolaryngologist, often an otologist or neurotologist, uses this code when surgically releasing the intratemporal facial nerve lateral to the geniculate ganglion. The surgeon removes constricting bone around the nerve, typically through a temporal-bone approach, to relieve compression in selected cases of facial nerve dysfunction. The operative report should identify the treated nerve segment and describe the decompression performed.

Select this code when the release is limited to the segment lateral to the geniculate ganglion; the code for release that includes the ganglion describes a different extent. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; 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 69720 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

69720 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$963.67
Alaska*Unavailable$1,297.91
ArizonaUnavailable$1,033.20
ArkansasUnavailable$951.71
AtlantaUnavailable$1,084.63
AustinUnavailable$1,081.36
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,087.58
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,122.36
BeaumontUnavailable$1,008.98
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,042.35

69720 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
69720 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 69720 rate is calculated

Each of 69720’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 · 69720

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 14.34Practice expense 15.11Malpractice 2.28

31.7300 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,059.81

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 69720

69720 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 69720

Facial nerve release

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)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
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 · 69720

Facial nerve release

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 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

69720 without 50 · national facility

$1,059.81

Facial nerve release

69720-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,589.72

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

69720 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

69720 vs 69725 vs 69740 vs 69745: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 69720
    Facial nerve release · 14.34 wRVU
    —
  • 69725
    Facial nerve decompression · 26.95 wRVU
    —
  • 69740
    Facial nerve repair · 15.86 wRVU
    —
  • 69745
    Facial nerve repair · 16.59 wRVU
    —

How to choose

69725Facial nerve decompression
Both describe intratemporal facial nerve decompression. Choose 69720 when the release is lateral to the geniculate ganglion; choose 69725 when it includes the ganglion.
69740Facial nerve repair
69720 releases a compressed nerve; 69740 describes suture repair of the intratemporal facial nerve lateral to the geniculate ganglion.
69745Facial nerve repair
69720 releases a compressed nerve; 69745 describes suture repair that includes the geniculate ganglion.

Codes related to 69720

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

Codes related to 69720
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
69725Facial nerve decompressionFacial nerve decompression that includes the geniculate ganglion.No office rate
Used instead
69740Facial nerve repairIntratemporal facial nerve suture lateral to the geniculate ganglion, rather than decompression.No office rate
69745Facial nerve repairIntratemporal facial nerve suture including the geniculate ganglion, rather than decompression.No office rate

69720 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 69725?

Use 69720 for decompression lateral to the geniculate ganglion. Use 69725 when the decompression includes the geniculate ganglion.

Is this a facial nerve repair code?

No. This code describes release of a compressed intratemporal nerve. Facial nerve suture or repair is represented by 69740 or 69745, depending on the segment involved.

What operative documentation supports 69720?

Document the indication, the intratemporal segment treated, and the steps used to release the nerve. The report should make clear that the decompression was lateral to the geniculate ganglion.

How is bilateral decompression reported?

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

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and 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 69720PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,654 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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