$2,893.94–$3,772.46
69705 describes dilation on one side; 69706 is for bilateral dilation in the same session.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
69705 Eustachian tube dilation Medicare reimbursement rates in California
Endoscopic surgical dilation of one eustachian tube, typically performed by an otolaryngologist to treat obstructive eustachian tube dysfunction. Compare 69705 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in California.
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 69705 in California?
California has 29 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 29 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$2800.80–$3660.24
29 of 29 localities have a supported rate.
Lowest: Chico
Highest: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
A spread of $859.44 per service.
Facility setting
$146.76–$168.35
29 of 29 localities have a supported rate.
Lowest: Chico
Highest: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
A spread of $21.59 per service.
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 69705 pays more and less in California
29 payment localities
$2800.80 to $3660.24
Otolaryngology procedure
About 69705: Unilateral eustachian tube dilation
Endoscopic surgical dilation of one eustachian tube, typically performed by an otolaryngologist to treat obstructive eustachian tube dysfunction.
An otolaryngologist uses a nasal endoscope to visualize the opening of one eustachian tube in the nasopharynx and guide a dilation device into the tube. The procedure is performed for obstructive eustachian tube dysfunction, often in patients with persistent ear pressure, difficulty equalizing pressure, or related middle-ear symptoms. It may be performed in an operating room or an appropriately equipped outpatient setting.
Report 69705 for one treated side. When both tubes are dilated in the same session, use the bilateral code 69706 rather than modifier 50. The operative note should identify the side, describe endoscopic guidance and dilation, and support the clinical reason for treatment. The procedure has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS applies endoscopy-family pricing. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; co-surgeon and team-surgery payment are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 69705
- Global period
- Minor procedure with a 0-day global period: same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included.
- Multiple procedures
- Endoscopy family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery is paid only with documentation of medical necessity.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU2.93 · 4%
- Practice expense (office) RVU73.58 · 96%
- Malpractice RVU0.43 · 1%
2.1K
Medicare services in 2024 · #2426 by national volume
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.
69705 compared with similar codes
Office rates for California, from the same CMS release.
$213.88–$268.55
69433 places a ventilating tube through the eardrum under local or topical anesthesia; 69705 dilates the eustachian tube endoscopically.
No office rate
69436 places a ventilating tube through the eardrum under general anesthesia, rather than dilating the eustachian tube.
Compare 69705 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.
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | Office $2802.04 | Facility $148.01 |
| Chico | Office $2800.80 | Facility $146.76 |
| El Centro | Office $2800.87 | Facility $146.83 |
| Fresno | Office $2800.80 | Facility $146.76 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | Office $2800.80 | Facility $146.76 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | Office $3018.80 | Facility $154.09 |
| Madera | Office $2800.80 | Facility $146.76 |
| Merced | Office $2800.80 | Facility $146.76 |
| Modesto | Office $2800.80 | Facility $146.76 |
| Napa | Office $3350.49 | Facility $158.87 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | Office $3014.48 | Facility $152.19 |
| Redding | Office $2800.80 | Facility $146.76 |
| Rest Of California | Office $2800.80 | Facility $146.76 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | Office $2805.45 | Facility $151.41 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | Office $2967.32 | Facility $151.04 |
| Salinas | Office $2957.00 | Facility $150.41 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Office $3047.92 | Facility $151.73 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | Office $3579.02 | Facility $164.62 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | Office $3578.54 | Facility $164.13 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | Office $3660.24 | Facility $168.35 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | Office $3658.25 | Facility $166.35 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Office $2906.48 | Facility $148.31 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | Office $3093.65 | Facility $151.45 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Office $2973.91 | Facility $150.36 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | Office $3126.48 | Facility $152.80 |
| Stockton | Office $2800.80 | Facility $146.76 |
| Vallejo | Office $3349.79 | Facility $158.17 |
| Visalia | Office $2800.80 | Facility $146.76 |
| Yuba City | Office $2800.80 | Facility $146.76 |
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69705 billing questions
When should 69705 be used instead of 69706?
Use 69705 when dilation is performed on one eustachian tube. Use 69706 when both tubes are treated in the same session.
Should modifier 50 be added when both sides are treated?
No. Report the bilateral code 69706 for treatment of both sides rather than applying modifier 50 to 69705.
What documentation supports 69705?
Document the treated side, the endoscopic approach and dilation performed, and the clinical findings and symptoms supporting treatment of obstructive eustachian tube dysfunction.
Is same-day care included in the procedure payment?
Yes. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.
Can an assistant surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeon and team-surgery payment are not permitted for this procedure.
How is another related endoscopy priced when performed in the same session?
CMS applies endoscopy-family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together. The operative record should identify the procedures performed.
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.
7,64369670,,Remove mastoid air cells,A,,11.44,12.04,NA,12.04,,1.67,25.15,25.15,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,64469676,,Remove middle ear nerve,A,,9.45,11.55,NA,11.55,,1.36,22.36,22.36,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,64569700,,Close mastoid fistula,A,,8.16,8.54,NA,8.54,,1.21,17.91,17.91,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,64669705,,Nps surg dilat eust tube uni,A,,2.93,73.58,,1.08,,0.43,76.94,4.44,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,0,0,0,9,31231,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,64769706,,Nps surg dilat eust tube bi,A,,4.16,74.90,,1.39,,0.60,79.66,6.15,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,2,0,0,0,9,31231,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,64869710,,Implant/replace hearing aid,N,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,64969711,,Remove/repair hearing aid,A,,10.35,10.60,NA,10.60,,1.50,22.45,22.45,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00