No office rate
This code is for decompression lateral to the geniculate ganglion. Code 69960 applies when the decompression includes the medial segment.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
69955 Facial nerve release Medicare reimbursement rates
Reports surgical decompression of the facial nerve within the temporal bone lateral to the geniculate ganglion, typically for selected nerve compression or injury. Compare 69955 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 69955?
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
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 69955 pays more and less
Otologic surgery
About 69955: Intratemporal facial nerve decompression, lateral segment
Reports surgical decompression of the facial nerve within the temporal bone lateral to the geniculate ganglion, typically for selected nerve compression or injury.
CPT 69955 describes surgically freeing the intratemporal facial nerve from its bony canal on the lateral side of the geniculate ganglion. An otologist or neurotologist typically performs the operation in a hospital operating room, often using a mastoid approach. The service may be considered for selected facial nerve compression or injury, including cases associated with temporal bone trauma; the operative report should establish the nerve segment treated and the decompression performed.
Select this code when the documented release is limited to the segment lateral to the geniculate ganglion. Decompression extending medial to or including that landmark is represented by 69960. Record the indication, approach, anatomic extent, and any separately performed procedures. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one 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 may be made; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team-surgery payment is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 69955
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care 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
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons paid only with supporting documentation.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU28.68 · 56%
- Practice expense (office) RVU18.26 · 36%
- Malpractice RVU4.18 · 8%
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.
69955 compared with similar codes
Office rate ranges across all CMS payment localities, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
Code 69950 describes vestibular nerve section by a transcranial approach, not release of the intratemporal facial nerve.
No office rate
Code 69915 describes vestibular nerve section through a transcanal approach; 69955 addresses facial nerve decompression within the temporal bone.
See how rates vary across the country
69955 · 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 69955 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 $1570.62 |
| Alaska* | Office Unavailable | Facility $2163.38 |
| Arizona | Office Unavailable | Facility $1668.44 |
| Arkansas | Office Unavailable | Facility $1553.74 |
| Atlanta | Office Unavailable | Facility $1748.15 |
| Austin | Office Unavailable | Facility $1728.83 |
| Bakersfield | Office Unavailable | Facility $1729.62 |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | Office Unavailable | Facility $1800.39 |
| Beaumont | Office Unavailable | Facility $1642.65 |
| Brazoria | Office Unavailable | Facility $1678.91 |
| Chicago | Office Unavailable | Facility $1898.01 |
| Chico | Office Unavailable | Facility $1717.51 |
| Colorado | Office Unavailable | Facility $1727.41 |
| Connecticut | Office Unavailable | Facility $1802.89 |
| Dallas | Office Unavailable | Facility $1693.81 |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | Office Unavailable | Facility $1883.52 |
| Delaware | Office Unavailable | Facility $1690.82 |
| Detroit | Office Unavailable | Facility $1781.88 |
| East St. Louis | Office Unavailable | Facility $1800.23 |
| El Centro | Office Unavailable | Facility $1718.21 |
| Fort Lauderdale | Office Unavailable | Facility $1828.19 |
| Fort Worth | Office Unavailable | Facility $1689.53 |
| Fresno | Office Unavailable | Facility $1717.51 |
| Galveston | Office Unavailable | Facility $1686.83 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | Office Unavailable | Facility $1717.51 |
| Hawaii, Guam | Office Unavailable | Facility $1732.23 |
| Houston | Office Unavailable | Facility $1763.34 |
| Idaho | Office Unavailable | Facility $1585.08 |
| Indiana | Office Unavailable | Facility $1591.17 |
| Iowa | Office Unavailable | Facility $1571.42 |
| Kansas | Office Unavailable | Facility $1579.65 |
| Kentucky | Office Unavailable | Facility $1627.89 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $1811.43 |
| Madera | Office Unavailable | Facility $1717.51 |
| Manhattan | Office Unavailable | Facility $1949.38 |
| Merced | Office Unavailable | Facility $1717.51 |
| Metropolitan Boston | Office Unavailable | Facility $1849.69 |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | Office Unavailable | Facility $1667.04 |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | Office Unavailable | Facility $1776.65 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | Office Unavailable | Facility $1678.46 |
| Miami | Office Unavailable | Facility $1945.93 |
| Minnesota | Office Unavailable | Facility $1626.85 |
| Mississippi | Office Unavailable | Facility $1586.24 |
| Modesto | Office Unavailable | Facility $1717.51 |
| Montana** | Office Unavailable | Facility $1707.17 |
| Napa | Office Unavailable | Facility $1893.06 |
| Nebraska | Office Unavailable | Facility $1573.65 |
| Nevada** | Office Unavailable | Facility $1684.75 |
| New Hampshire | Office Unavailable | Facility $1715.01 |
| New Mexico | Office Unavailable | Facility $1684.90 |
| New Orleans | Office Unavailable | Facility $1690.46 |
| North Carolina | Office Unavailable | Facility $1616.19 |
| North Dakota** | Office Unavailable | Facility $1624.52 |
| Northern Nj | Office Unavailable | Facility $1874.88 |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | Office Unavailable | Facility $2003.68 |
| Ohio | Office Unavailable | Facility $1655.51 |
| Oklahoma | Office Unavailable | Facility $1611.06 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | Office Unavailable | Facility $1792.64 |
| Portland | Office Unavailable | Facility $1754.74 |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | Office Unavailable | Facility $1837.82 |
| Puerto Rico | Office Unavailable | Facility $1712.07 |
| Queens | Office Unavailable | Facility $1941.47 |
| Redding | Office Unavailable | Facility $1717.51 |
| Rest Of California | Office Unavailable | Facility $1717.51 |
| Rest Of Florida | Office Unavailable | Facility $1750.85 |
| Rest Of Georgia | Office Unavailable | Facility $1668.39 |
| Rest Of Illinois | Office Unavailable | Facility $1733.00 |
| Rest Of Louisiana | Office Unavailable | Facility $1631.45 |
| Rest Of Maine | Office Unavailable | Facility $1605.89 |
| Rest Of Maryland | Office Unavailable | Facility $1712.90 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Office Unavailable | Facility $1726.76 |
| Rest Of Michigan | Office Unavailable | Facility $1672.40 |
| Rest Of Missouri | Office Unavailable | Facility $1619.66 |
| Rest Of New Jersey | Office Unavailable | Facility $1815.43 |
| Rest Of New York | Office Unavailable | Facility $1635.49 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Office Unavailable | Facility $1663.55 |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | Office Unavailable | Facility $1649.76 |
| Rest Of Texas | Office Unavailable | Facility $1662.81 |
| Rest Of Washington | Office Unavailable | Facility $1718.86 |
| Rhode Island | Office Unavailable | Facility $1730.70 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | Office Unavailable | Facility $1762.72 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | Office Unavailable | Facility $1776.57 |
| Salinas | Office Unavailable | Facility $1769.34 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Office Unavailable | Facility $1791.79 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $1972.99 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $1968.24 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $2017.62 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $1998.21 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Office Unavailable | Facility $1743.73 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | Office Unavailable | Facility $1793.92 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Office Unavailable | Facility $1770.74 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | Office Unavailable | Facility $1810.47 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $1868.25 |
| South Carolina | Office Unavailable | Facility $1640.16 |
| South Dakota** | Office Unavailable | Facility $1614.75 |
| Southern Maine | Office Unavailable | Facility $1650.45 |
| Stockton | Office Unavailable | Facility $1717.51 |
| Suburban Chicago | Office Unavailable | Facility $1838.41 |
| Tennessee | Office Unavailable | Facility $1587.31 |
| Utah | Office Unavailable | Facility $1656.62 |
| Vallejo | Office Unavailable | Facility $1886.22 |
| Vermont | Office Unavailable | Facility $1632.38 |
| Virgin Islands | Office Unavailable | Facility $1712.07 |
| Virginia | Office Unavailable | Facility $1656.04 |
| Visalia | Office Unavailable | Facility $1717.51 |
| West Virginia | Office Unavailable | Facility $1687.73 |
| Wisconsin | Office Unavailable | Facility $1585.22 |
| Wyoming** | Office Unavailable | Facility $1671.15 |
| Yuba City | Office Unavailable | Facility $1717.51 |
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69955 billing questions
How do I choose between 69955 and 69960?
Use 69955 when decompression is lateral to the geniculate ganglion. Use 69960 when the documented release includes the segment medial to that landmark.
What documentation supports 69955?
The operative report should identify the facial nerve segment decompressed, its relationship to the geniculate ganglion, the approach, and the work performed to release the nerve.
Can 69955 be reported bilaterally?
When the procedure is performed on both sides, CMS recognizes bilateral reporting with modifier 50 and pays the service at 150%.
How does the global period affect postoperative billing?
The 90-day global includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; CMS does not permit team-surgery payment for this code.
What happens when other procedures are performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are paid at 50%.
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.
7,67069930,,Implant cochlear device,A,,17.29,11.90,NA,11.90,,2.54,31.73,31.73,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,67169949,,Unlisted px inner ear,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,YYY,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,1,0,1,1,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,67269950,,Incise inner ear nerve,A,,26.94,14.37,NA,14.37,,3.93,45.24,45.24,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,67369955,,Release facial nerve,A,,28.68,18.26,NA,18.26,,4.18,51.12,51.12,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,67469960,,Release inner ear canal,A,,28.68,16.02,NA,16.02,,4.18,48.88,48.88,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,67569970,,Remove inner ear lesion,A,,31.60,18.95,NA,18.95,,4.61,55.16,55.16,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,67669979,,Unlisted px temporal bone,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,YYY,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,1,0,1,1,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00