Billing code 31087: Frontal sinus surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports operative removal involving the frontal sinus, rather than irrigation or exploration alone, when the documented procedure matches this code’s removal service.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 31087 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 31087 covers
An otolaryngologist performs this operation on the frontal sinus, the air space above the eyes and behind the forehead. It represents a removal procedure, not simply flushing the sinus or opening it to inspect or explore it. The operative report should make clear what was removed and the extent and side of the frontal sinus work. Frontal sinus operations may be performed for significant sinus disease or another condition requiring operative treatment, but the procedure documented—not the diagnosis alone—determines code selection.
Report the code when the documented operation matches its removal service; distinguish it from frontal sinus exploration and from other frontal sinus procedure codes by the specific technique and extent described in the operative note. The note should identify the treated side or sides and the work performed. Medicare assigns a 90-day 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% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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 31087 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 | $1,062.50 |
| Miami | Unavailable | $1,125.14 |
| Rest Of Florida | Unavailable | $1,015.36 |
How the 31087 rate is calculated
Each of 31087’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 · 31087
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 14.21Practice expense 13.68Malpractice 2.07
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 31087
31087 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 31087
Frontal sinus surgery
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 31087
Frontal sinus surgery
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
31087 without 50 · national facility
$1,000.69
Frontal sinus surgery
31087-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,501.04
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
31087 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
31087 vs 31070 vs 31075 vs 31086: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 31070Frontal sinus surgery
- This code represents frontal sinus removal. Code 31070 is for frontal sinus exploration, so use it when the documented service is exploration rather than removal.
- 31075Frontal sinus exploration
- Code 31075 also describes frontal sinus exploration. The operative note must support removal work to report 31087.
- 31086Frontal sinus surgery
- Both codes are in the frontal sinus removal family. Distinguish them by the specific procedure and technique documented and the applicable billing code descriptor, not by the abbreviated CMS label alone.
31087 billing questions
How is this different from frontal sinus exploration?
This code represents removal work involving the frontal sinus. Codes 31070 and 31075 describe frontal sinus exploration, so the operative report must support removal rather than exploration alone.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
Document the frontal sinus procedure performed, what was removed, the extent and side of the work, and the operative technique. The note should support choosing this removal code over an exploration code or another frontal sinus procedure.
How are related postoperative visits handled?
The code has a 90-day global period that includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How is bilateral surgery reported?
For a bilateral procedure, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral service at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in the same session are subject to the standard 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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