CPT code 31512: Laryngeal lesion removal2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Alaska
Report 31512 when a clinician uses indirect laryngoscopic visualization to remove a lesion from the larynx, rather than only examining or biopsying it.
Medicare pays $255.23 for 31512 in the office in Alaska (Alaska*). Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 9 sections
What 31512 covers
An otolaryngologist typically performs this service when an identified laryngeal lesion can be reached and removed under indirect visualization. The clinician views the larynx indirectly and uses an instrument to remove the lesion; this differs from a diagnostic examination alone or a procedure performed with direct operative laryngoscopy. The service may be provided in an office or another setting appropriate to the patient and procedure.
Choose the code for removal, not for inspection alone, biopsy alone, or removal of a foreign body. The operative note should identify the laryngeal lesion, document its removal, and support the indirect approach. This minor procedure has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; 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.
31512 in Alaska*
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska* | $255.23 | $144.25 |
How the 31512 rate is calculated
Each of 31512’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 · 31512
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work2.02
2.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.18
4.18 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.29
0.29 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
6.4900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$216.77
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 31512
The CMS indicators that decide how 31512 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 31512
Laryngeal lesion removal
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included. |
| Multiple procedures | 3 | Endoscopy family rules apply. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
31512 without 51 · national office
$216.77
Laryngeal lesion removal
31512-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$108.39
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
31512 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 31505Laryngoscopy
- 31505 covers diagnostic indirect laryngoscopy without lesion removal. Use 31512 when the documented service includes removing a laryngeal lesion.
- 31510Laryngoscopy
- 31510 is for indirect laryngoscopy with biopsy. 31512 represents removal of the lesion, rather than sampling it for diagnosis.
- 31540Laryngeal excision
- 31540 describes laryngoscopic excision of a tumor using a direct operative approach. 31512 is for lesion removal under indirect visualization.
31512 billing questions
How does 31512 differ from 31505?
31505 is for diagnostic indirect laryngoscopy. Report 31512 when the clinician removes a laryngeal lesion during the indirect examination.
When is 31510 a better choice?
Use 31510 for indirect laryngoscopy with biopsy when tissue is sampled for diagnosis, rather than a lesion being removed as the service.
Can 31512 be reported with another endoscopy on the same date?
Related endoscopies performed together are subject to CMS endoscopy-family pricing. Document the distinct procedures performed; payment follows the applicable family pricing.
Should modifier 50 be used for lesions on both sides?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to 31512, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
What documentation supports reporting 31512?
Document the laryngeal lesion, the indirect visualization approach, and that the lesion was removed. An assistant-at-surgery claim also requires documentation of medical necessity.
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
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