Billing code 30920: Arterial ligationMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports surgical ligation of the internal maxillary artery to control severe nasal bleeding when the operative service involves this artery.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 30920 in Florida.
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 30920 covers
This operation ties off the internal maxillary artery, a major arterial supply to the nasal region, to control severe epistaxis. It is generally performed by an otolaryngologist in an operating room when bleeding requires surgical arterial control. The operative record should identify the vessel treated, the approach, and the bleeding problem that led to surgery; the code is not selected simply because epistaxis was present.
Report 30920 for the internal maxillary artery ligation actually performed, distinguishing it from ligation of a nasal or sinus artery and from direct control of bleeding. CMS assigns a 90-day major-surgery global period, including 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 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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.
Where 30920 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | Unavailable | $823.23 |
| Miami | Unavailable | $871.37 |
| Rest Of Florida | Unavailable | $786.59 |
How the 30920 rate is calculated
Each of 30920’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 · 30920
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 10.86Practice expense 10.79Malpractice 1.58
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 30920
30920 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 30920
Arterial ligation
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| 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. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.76/0.14 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 30920
Arterial ligation
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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
30920 without 51 · national facility
$775.90
Arterial ligation
30920-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$387.95
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%).
30920 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
30920 vs 30915 vs 30905 vs 30906: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 30915Nasal artery ligation
- 30920 identifies internal maxillary artery ligation. 30915 is for ligation of a nasal or sinus artery; use the documented vessel and procedure to distinguish them.
- 30905Nosebleed control
- 30905 reports direct control of posterior epistaxis. 30920 reports surgical ligation of the internal maxillary artery.
- 30906Nosebleed control
- 30906 is for subsequent direct control of posterior epistaxis. It is not the code for internal maxillary artery ligation.
30920 billing questions
How is 30920 distinguished from 30915?
Choose based on the artery and procedure documented in the operative report. 30920 concerns internal maxillary artery ligation; 30915 describes ligation of a nasal or sinus artery.
Can 30920 be reported with posterior epistaxis control?
30905 and 30906 describe direct control of posterior nasal bleeding, whereas 30920 reports surgical ligation of the internal maxillary artery. Code the service performed rather than reporting both for the same work.
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 treatment?
No. The anatomy and descriptor make modifier 50 inappropriate for 30920.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures in that session are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction.
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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