Billing code 31368: Partial laryngectomyMedicare rate & RVUs in Georgia
Reports partial removal of the larynx performed with radical neck dissections on both sides, typically during surgery for laryngeal cancer.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 31368 in Georgia.
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 31368 covers
An otolaryngologist or head and neck surgeon reports this service when removing part of the larynx and performing radical neck dissections on both sides during the same operation. It is most often associated with treatment of laryngeal cancer when the operative plan includes both laryngeal resection and bilateral neck surgery. The code distinguishes this combined extent of surgery from partial laryngeal procedures without neck dissection or with dissection on only one side.
The operative report should identify the partial laryngeal resection and document the radical neck dissection on each side. The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the 90-day global period. 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. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 31368 pays more and less in Georgia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Unavailable | $2,168.13 |
| Rest Of Georgia | Unavailable | $2,058.87 |
How the 31368 rate is calculated
Each of 31368’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 · 31368
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 33.34Practice expense 25.22Malpractice 4.87
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 31368
31368 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 31368
Partial laryngectomy
| 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) | 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 · 31368
Partial laryngectomy
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
31368 without 51 · national facility
$2,118.62
Partial laryngectomy
31368-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$1,059.31
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%).
31368 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
31368 vs 31367 vs 31370 vs 31365 vs 31360: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 31367Partial laryngectomy
- Use 31367 when the partial laryngeal operation includes a unilateral radical neck dissection. This code represents radical neck dissections on both sides.
- 31370Partial laryngectomy
- 31370 is a partial laryngeal resection variant without the bilateral radical neck dissection included here.
- 31365Laryngectomy
- 31365 describes total laryngeal removal with radical neck dissection, while this code is for a partial resection with bilateral neck dissection.
- 31360Laryngectomy
- 31360 is for total laryngeal removal without radical neck dissection; this code represents partial removal with bilateral radical neck dissections.
31368 billing questions
How does this differ from 31367?
31368 represents partial laryngeal surgery with radical neck dissections on both sides. 31367 is the counterpart with a unilateral radical neck dissection.
Should modifier 50 be appended for the two-sided neck surgery?
No. The bilateral neck dissection is part of this code’s described operative scope, and the CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
The operative report should describe the partial laryngeal resection and the radical neck dissection performed on each side. The documented operative extent should support the bilateral code rather than a unilateral or no-dissection variant.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50% when performed in the same session.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
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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