$263.67–$287.53
Use 31615 for endoscopic examination through an established tracheostomy. Code 31622 describes diagnostic bronchoscopy by another route.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
31615 Airway endoscopy Medicare reimbursement rates in Georgia
Reports endoscopic examination of the trachea and bronchi performed through an existing tracheostomy, such as to assess airway patency or investigate obstruction. Compare 31615 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Georgia.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 31615 in Georgia?
Georgia has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$163.29–$176.55
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
Facility setting
$99.83–$104.27
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Pulmonary procedures
About 31615: Tracheobronchoscopy through established tracheostomy
Reports endoscopic examination of the trachea and bronchi performed through an existing tracheostomy, such as to assess airway patency or investigate obstruction.
The clinician passes a bronchoscope through an established tracheostomy opening to inspect the trachea and bronchi. Pulmonologists, otolaryngologists, and thoracic surgeons may perform the examination in a hospital, clinic, or bedside setting to assess airway patency, investigate suspected obstruction or bleeding, or evaluate concerns involving the tracheostomy airway. The existing opening is the access route; this service does not describe creating a tracheostomy.
Report 31615 when the documented endoscopic examination is performed through that established opening. The record should identify the route and the airway evaluation performed. This minor procedure has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures occur 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 for an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 31615
- Global period
- Minor procedure with a 0-day global period: same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Statutory restriction: assistant at surgery is not paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU1.79 · 35%
- Practice expense (office) RVU3.14 · 61%
- Malpractice RVU0.25 · 5%
10.9K
Medicare services in 2024 · #1430 by national volume
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.
31615 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Georgia, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
Code 31600 describes planned creation of a tracheostomy; 31615 is for airway endoscopy through an opening that already exists.
No office rate
Code 31613 describes simple tracheostoma revision. It is not the code for inspecting the trachea and bronchi through the stoma.
Compare 31615 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
2 of 2 payment localities
Atlanta →
Office / nonfacility
$176.55
Facility
$104.27
Rest Of Georgia →
Office / nonfacility
$163.29
Facility
$99.83
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31615 billing questions
How does 31615 differ from 31622?
31615 describes tracheobronchoscopy through an established tracheostomy. Consider 31622 when diagnostic bronchoscopy is performed by another route and its service meets that code's requirements.
Can 31615 be reported when a new tracheostomy is created?
31615 requires an established tracheostomy opening. A tracheostomy creation service, such as 31600 or 31601, describes creating the opening rather than examining the airway through an existing one.
What should the documentation identify?
Document that the scope passed through an established tracheostomy and describe the tracheal and bronchial examination, including the clinical reason for it.
Can modifier 50 be used?
No. Bilateral adjustment is inappropriate for this code.
How do same-session procedures affect payment?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures in the same session are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the 0-day global period.
Are assistant or co-surgeon claims payable?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service. 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 indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
3,62731612,,Perq trchl pnxr ttrach aspir,A,,0.89,1.81,,0.22,,0.14,2.84,1.25,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,62831613,,Tracheostoma revj simple,A,,4.59,6.52,NA,6.52,,0.75,11.86,11.86,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,62931614,,Tracheostoma revj complex,A,,8.41,9.59,NA,9.59,,1.23,19.23,19.23,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,63031615,,Trcheobrnchsc est trachs inc,A,,1.79,3.14,,1.01,,0.25,5.18,3.05,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,63131622,,Dx bronchoscope/wash,A,,2.47,5.68,,0.83,,0.30,8.45,3.60,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,63231623,,Dx bronchoscope/brush,A,,2.56,6.27,,0.77,,0.24,9.07,3.57,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,31622,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,63331624,,Dx bronchoscope/lavage,A,,2.56,5.77,,0.82,,0.24,8.57,3.62,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,31622,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00