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Billing code 69725: Facial nerve decompressionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports surgical decompression of the intratemporal facial nerve that includes the segment at the geniculate ganglion, typically for facial nerve dysfunction caused by compression.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities13 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,625.96 for 69725 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 69725

Facial nerve decompression

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
26.95
Total RVUs
48.68
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,625.96

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 69725 → · 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 69725 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 69725 covers

An otologist or neurotologist performs this operation to relieve pressure on the facial nerve as it travels through the temporal bone, with the decompression extending to include the geniculate ganglion. It is used when the operative plan requires release of that more proximal intratemporal segment, rather than decompression limited to the nerve lateral to the ganglion. The service is generally performed in an operating room through an approach to the temporal bone.

Choose this code based on the documented extent of decompression, not simply the diagnosis of facial weakness or paralysis. The operative report should identify the intratemporal nerve segments exposed and released, including the geniculate ganglion. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. 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%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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 69725 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

69725 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,494.67
Alaska*Unavailable$2,055.74
ArizonaUnavailable$1,588.62
ArkansasUnavailable$1,478.46
AtlantaUnavailable$1,664.55
AustinUnavailable$1,647.27
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,648.81
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,714.87
BeaumontUnavailable$1,563.13
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,598.93

69725 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
69725 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 69725 rate is calculated

Each of 69725’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 · 69725

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 26.95Practice expense 17.80Malpractice 3.93

48.6800 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,625.96

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 69725

69725 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 69725

Facial nerve decompression

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)2Paid.
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 · 69725

Facial nerve decompression

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

69725 without 50 · national facility

$1,625.96

Facial nerve decompression

69725-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$2,438.94

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

69725 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

69725 vs 69720 vs 69740 vs 69745: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

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

How to choose

69720Facial nerve release
Use 69725 when decompression includes the facial nerve at the geniculate ganglion. Use 69720 when the release is limited to the segment lateral to it.
69740Facial nerve repair
69740 describes repair of an extracranial facial nerve injury. 69725 is decompression of the nerve within the temporal bone.
69745Facial nerve repair
69745 is for facial nerve repair in an intracranial or intratemporal location. 69725 is for releasing a compressed intratemporal nerve, not repairing a disrupted nerve.

Codes related to 69725

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

Codes related to 69725
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
69720Facial nerve releaseSibling decompression code for work limited to the facial nerve lateral to the geniculate ganglion.No office rate
Used instead
69740Facial nerve repairFacial nerve repair for an extracranial nerve injury rather than intratemporal decompression.No office rate
69745Facial nerve repairFacial nerve repair for an intracranial or intratemporal injury when repair, rather than decompression, is performed.No office rate

69725 billing questions

How does 69725 differ from 69720?

The distinction is the extent of decompression. Report 69725 when the documented release includes the facial nerve at the geniculate ganglion; 69720 is for decompression lateral to the ganglion.

What should the operative note document?

Document the intratemporal nerve segments exposed and decompressed, specifically whether the work includes the geniculate ganglion. A diagnosis of facial paralysis alone does not establish the extent of the procedure.

How is 69725 paid when another procedure is performed in the same session?

Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50% when performed in the same session.

How should bilateral decompression be reported?

For a bilateral procedure, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral service at 150%.

Can an assistant or another surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid for this procedure. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

What care is included in the global period?

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

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 69725PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,655 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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