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Billing code 69960: Canal decompressionMedicare rate & RVUs

Surgical decompression of the internal auditory canal is reported when an otologic or skull-base operation releases structures within the canal.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities14 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,632.64 for 69960 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 69960

Canal decompression

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
28.68
Total RVUs
48.88
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,632.64

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 69960 → · 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 69960 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 69960 covers

This operation releases or decompresses the internal auditory canal, a bony passage containing the hearing and balance nerve structures. It is performed in an operating room by an otologist, neurotologist, or other surgeon experienced in skull-base procedures. The procedure is distinct from removing the labyrinth, dividing an inner-ear nerve, or decompressing the facial nerve; the operative target and work documented should support canal decompression.

Report the code for the canal-release service, with the operative report identifying the canal and describing the decompression performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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. For bilateral surgery reported with modifier 50, payment is at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and 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 69960 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

69960 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,505.16
Alaska*Unavailable$2,083.70
ArizonaUnavailable$1,595.94
ArkansasUnavailable$1,489.48
AtlantaUnavailable$1,672.13
AustinUnavailable$1,649.67
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,647.61
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,720.11
BeaumontUnavailable$1,574.57
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,604.77

69960 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
69960 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 69960 rate is calculated

Each of 69960’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 · 69960

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 28.68Practice expense 16.02Malpractice 4.18

48.8800 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,632.64

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 69960

69960 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 69960

Canal 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)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 · 69960

Canal 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

69960 without 50 · national facility

$1,632.64

Canal decompression

69960-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$2,448.96

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

69960 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

69960 vs 69950 vs 69955 vs 69970 vs 69905: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 69960
    Canal decompression · 28.68 wRVU
    —
  • 69950
    Vestibular nerve section · 26.94 wRVU
    —
  • 69955
    Facial nerve release · 28.68 wRVU
    —
  • 69970
    Inner ear surgery · 31.6 wRVU
    —
  • 69905
    Labyrinthectomy · 10.98 wRVU
    —

How to choose

69950Vestibular nerve section
Use 69960 when the operative work decompresses the internal auditory canal. Compare the operative target with 69950 when the service is incision of an inner-ear nerve.
69955Facial nerve release
69955 is directed at the facial nerve; 69960 is for decompression of the internal auditory canal.
69970Inner ear surgery
69970 describes removal of an inner-ear lesion. Select 69960 when the documented work is canal decompression rather than lesion excision.
69905Labyrinthectomy
69905 describes labyrinth removal through a transcanal approach. It is not the code for decompression of the internal auditory canal.

Codes related to 69960

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

Codes related to 69960
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
69950Vestibular nerve sectionConsider when the documented service is incision of an inner-ear nerve rather than canal decompression.No office rate
69955Facial nerve releaseUsed for release of the facial nerve, not decompression of the internal auditory canal.No office rate
69970Inner ear surgeryFor removal of an inner-ear lesion when excision, rather than canal decompression, is performed.No office rate
69949Unlisted px inner earUnlisted inner-ear procedure code when no specific code describes the documented service.No office rate
69905LabyrinthectomyDescribes removal of the labyrinth, a different operative service from canal decompression.No office rate
69910LabyrinthectomyDescribes labyrinth removal with mastoidectomy, not release of the internal auditory canal.No office rate

69960 billing questions

How is canal decompression distinguished from inner-ear nerve incision?

Choose the code that matches the operative target and work. Report 69960 for decompression of the internal auditory canal, rather than a procedure whose primary service is incision of an inner-ear nerve.

Is removal of an inner-ear lesion included?

The operative report must establish whether the service was canal decompression or lesion removal. When a lesion is excised, compare the documented work with 69970 rather than treating lesion removal as canal decompression.

What postoperative care is included?

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

Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral canal decompression?

CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; when bilateral surgery is reported with modifier 50, payment is at 150%.

What documentation supports assistant or co-surgeon billing?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, while 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 69960PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,674 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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