Billing code 31579: LaryngoscopyMedicare rate & RVUs in Delaware
Flexible or rigid laryngoscopy with stroboscopic assessment evaluates vocal fold vibration in patients with hoarseness, voice change, or suspected vocal fold disorder.
Medicare pays $193.05 for 31579 in the office in Delaware (Delaware). 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 31579 covers
An otolaryngologist or laryngologist uses a flexible scope passed through the nose or a rigid scope through the mouth to view the larynx while the patient phonates. Stroboscopic light makes vocal fold vibration appear in slow motion, helping assess the mucosal wave, vibratory symmetry, closure, and subtle abnormalities. This examination is commonly performed in an office voice clinic for persistent hoarseness, vocal fatigue, or suspected vocal fold lesions or paresis.
Report 31579 when the encounter includes stroboscopic assessment, not just laryngeal visualization. The record should support the voice-related indication and describe the examination and relevant findings. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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.
31579 in Delaware
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $193.05 | $102.96 |
How the 31579 rate is calculated
Each of 31579’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 · 31579
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.83Practice expense 3.77Malpractice 0.24
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 31579
The CMS indicators that decide how 31579 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 31579
Laryngoscopy
| 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| 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
31579 without 51 · national office
$195.06
Laryngoscopy
31579-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$97.53
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%).
31579 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
31579 vs 31575 vs 31576 vs 31578 vs 92524: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 31575Laryngoscopy
- 31575 describes diagnostic laryngoscopy without stroboscopy. Choose 31579 when the examination includes stroboscopic evaluation of vocal fold vibration.
- 31576Laryngeal biopsy
- 31576 includes biopsy during laryngoscopy. Stroboscopic assessment without tissue sampling is reported with 31579.
- 31578Laryngoscopy
- 31578 is for endoscopic removal of a laryngeal lesion. 31579 evaluates vocal fold vibration and does not describe lesion removal.
- 92524Voice evaluation
- 92524 is a formal voice and resonance evaluation, not a scope examination. It may be reported separately when both distinct services are performed.
31579 billing questions
When should 31579 be chosen instead of 31575?
Report 31579 when stroboscopy is performed to assess vocal fold vibration. Use 31575 for diagnostic laryngoscopy without that stroboscopic assessment.
Can a separate voice evaluation be reported with 31579?
A separately performed and documented formal voice and resonance evaluation may be reported with 92524. The laryngoscopy and voice evaluation must represent distinct services.
What documentation supports 31579?
Document the voice-related complaint or indication, the scope approach, that stroboscopy was performed, and the observed vocal fold vibration or other relevant findings.
Should modifier 50 be used for examination of both vocal folds?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for 31579; examination of both vocal folds does not support modifier 50.
How is 31579 priced when another related endoscopy is performed?
CMS applies endoscopy-family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together. The claim should reflect the services actually performed and documented.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed for 31579?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code, and co-surgeons and team surgery 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
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