Billing code 31730: Tracheal dilationMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Percutaneous tracheal stenosis dilation introduces a wire or catheter into the trachea to widen a narrowed segment without open tracheoplasty.
Medicare pays $1,137.48–$1,246.75 for 31730 in the office in Florida, from Rest Of Florida to Miami. 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 31730 covers
This procedure uses percutaneous access to introduce a wire or catheter into a narrowed tracheal segment and dilate the stenosis. It may be performed by an otolaryngologist or thoracic surgeon in an operating room or other procedural setting when a tracheal narrowing requires dilation. The record should identify the stenosis, the percutaneous approach, and the wire or catheter dilation performed.
Report 31730 for this percutaneous tracheal dilation, rather than for bronchoscopic dilation or open tracheal reconstruction. It has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. 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 code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, 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 31730 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.
3 payment localities
$1137.48 to $1246.75
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | $1,203.72 | $148.40 |
| Miami | $1,246.75 | $162.26 |
| Rest Of Florida | $1,137.48 | $141.54 |
How the 31730 rate is calculated
Each of 31730’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 · 31730
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 2.78Practice expense 31.85Malpractice 0.55
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 31730
The CMS indicators that decide how 31730 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 31730
Tracheal dilation
| 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 | 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. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
31730 without 51 · national office
$1,175.04
Tracheal dilation
31730-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$587.52
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%).
31730 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
31730 vs 31630 vs 31750 vs 31760: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 31630Bronchoscopy
- Choose 31730 for percutaneous wire or catheter dilation of tracheal stenosis. Choose 31630 when dilation is performed through a bronchoscope.
- 31750Tracheoplasty
- 31730 dilates a stenosis through percutaneous wire or catheter access; 31750 is open reconstruction of the cervical trachea.
- 31760Tracheoplasty
- 31730 is percutaneous dilation. 31760 is open tracheoplasty for an intrathoracic tracheal segment.
31730 billing questions
How is 31730 different from bronchoscopic dilation?
31730 describes dilation using percutaneous introduction of a wire or catheter. billing code 31630 describes dilation performed through a bronchoscope.
Does 31730 include same-day care?
Yes. Its 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral tracheal dilation?
No. The bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 31730. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What documentation supports reporting 31730?
Document the tracheal stenosis, the percutaneous approach, and the wire or catheter dilation performed. The note should distinguish this work from bronchoscopic dilation or open reconstruction.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple-procedure rule, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to a 50% 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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