FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

Billing code 92502: ENT examinationMedicare rate & RVUs

A broad ear, nose, and throat examination performed under general anesthesia when a complete diagnostic assessment cannot be completed while the patient is awake.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities657 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $86.51 for 92502 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 92502

ENT examination

Work RVUs
1.47
Total RVUs
2.59
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$86.51

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 92502 →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 92502 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 92502 covers

92502 captures a broad otolaryngologic assessment performed while the patient is under general anesthesia, allowing the clinician to examine relevant ear, nasal, oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal structures when an awake examination is inadequate or cannot be completed. Otolaryngologists commonly perform it in an operating room or procedure setting, often for young children or patients unable to cooperate with a complete awake exam.

Report 92502 for the examination itself, not simply because general anesthesia is used for another procedure. The record should explain why an awake examination was insufficient and document the findings or anatomic areas examined. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; co-surgeon and team-surgery payment are not allowed.

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 92502 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

92502 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$80.70
Alaska*Unavailable$111.60
ArizonaUnavailable$84.93
ArkansasUnavailable$79.97
AtlantaUnavailable$87.93
AustinUnavailable$88.14
BakersfieldUnavailable$89.24
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$90.63
BeaumontUnavailable$83.21
BrazoriaUnavailable$85.79

92502 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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 every state and territory as a table
92502 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 92502 rate is calculated

Each of 92502’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 · 92502

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work1.47

1.47 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense1.01

1.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.11

0.11 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

2.5900

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$86.51

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 92502

The CMS indicators that decide how 92502 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 92502

ENT examination

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
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.

92502 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

  • 92502

    ENT examination1.47 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 92504

    Ear microscopy0.18 wRVU

    $28.72

  • 92511

    Nasopharyngoscopy0.59 wRVU

    $115.90

  • 31575

    Laryngoscopy0.92 wRVU

    $127.26

How to choose

92504Ear microscopy
92502 is a broad otolaryngologic examination under general anesthesia; 92504 is a separate diagnostic ear examination using binocular microscopy.
92511Nasopharyngoscopy
92511 is a focused endoscopic examination of the nasopharynx, not a broad examination of the ear, nose, and throat under general anesthesia.
31575Laryngoscopy
31575 describes flexible diagnostic laryngoscopy focused on the larynx. Choose 92502 when the service is a broader otolaryngologic examination under general anesthesia.

Codes related to 92502

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

Codes related to 92502
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
92504Ear microscopyMicroscope-assisted ear examination is a focused alternative when general anesthesia is not needed.$25.41–$39.12
92511NasopharyngoscopyNasopharyngoscopy is a focused endoscopic examination of the nasopharynx.$101.88–$159.38
31575LaryngoscopyFlexible diagnostic laryngoscopy evaluates the larynx with a scope rather than a broad anesthetized examination.$112.15–$169.37

92502 billing questions

When should 92502 be selected instead of 92504?

Use 92502 for a broad otolaryngologic examination performed under general anesthesia. Code 92504 describes examination of the ear using a binocular microscope.

Can 92502 be reported with a focused scope examination?

A focused nasopharyngoscopy or laryngoscopy is a distinct service from the broad examination represented by 92502. Report another procedure only when it was separately performed and the documentation supports it.

Is modifier 50 appropriate for examining both ears?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for 92502.

What same-day care is included in the global period?

The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.

Can an assistant, co-surgeon, or surgical team be paid?

Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeon and team-surgery payment are 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 92502PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 11,777 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 92502 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets

Put 92502 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.

Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →