Billing code 31648: Valve removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports bronchoscopic removal of one or more previously placed bronchial valves from the first treated lobe, including removal performed during therapeutic airway management.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 31648 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 31648 covers
An interventional pulmonologist or thoracic surgeon uses a flexible or rigid bronchoscope to remove bronchial valve(s) from the initial lobe in which valves are being removed. These valves may have been placed as part of bronchoscopic lung-volume-reduction treatment for emphysema. The service is typically performed in a facility bronchoscopy suite or operating room, with the bronchoscopist visualizing the airway and retrieving the valve device or devices from that lobe.
Report 31648 for the initial lobe; when valve removal extends to another lobe, report the additional-lobe service separately with 31649. The procedure note should identify the lobe treated and document bronchoscopic removal of the valve(s). Medicare 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. Do not use modifier 50 for bilateral reporting. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code, and 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 31648 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 | $187.48 |
| Miami | Unavailable | $197.40 |
| Rest Of Florida | Unavailable | $181.65 |
How the 31648 rate is calculated
Each of 31648’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 · 31648
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 3.85Practice expense 1.08Malpractice 0.37
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 31648
The CMS indicators that decide how 31648 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 31648
Valve 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) | 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
31648 without 51 · national facility
$177.02
Valve removal
31648-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$88.51
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%).
31648 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
31648 vs 31649 vs 31647 vs 31638: national Medicare rates
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How to choose
- 31649Valve removal
- 31648 covers removal from the initial lobe; 31649 covers removal from each additional lobe.
- 31647Bronchial valve placement
- 31647 reports initial-lobe bronchial valve placement. Choose 31648 when the service is removal rather than placement.
- 31638Airway stent revision
- 31638 addresses revision of a bronchial stent, not removal of bronchial valves. The device and service performed determine the code.
31648 billing questions
When is 31648 selected instead of 31649?
Use 31648 for valve removal from the initial lobe. Use 31649 for removal from each additional lobe.
Does this code describe valve placement?
No. It describes bronchoscopic removal of previously placed bronchial valves. Code 31647 addresses initial-lobe valve placement, while 31651 addresses placement in an additional lobe.
Should modifier 50 be appended when valves are removed from both lungs?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to 31648, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service.
What documentation supports reporting 31648?
Document bronchoscopic removal of bronchial valve(s) and identify the lobe treated as the initial lobe for removal. Document additional lobes separately when reporting 31649.
How are related endoscopies handled when performed in the same session?
CMS endoscopy family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in this code's 0-day global period.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 31648. 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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