Billing code 30210: Sinus therapyMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports nasal or sinus irrigation or lavage to clear secretions and material from the passages during treatment of a sinus condition.
Medicare pays $148.56–$162.96 for 30210 in the office in Illinois, from Rest Of Illinois to Chicago. 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 30210 covers
This service covers therapeutic irrigation or lavage of the nasal or sinus passages, commonly to clear retained secretions or other material during treatment of sinus symptoms. Otolaryngologists and other clinicians who manage nasal and sinus conditions may perform it in an office or facility. The method matters: direct lavage through cannulation of a named sinus is described by separate site-specific codes rather than this general therapy code.
Report 30210 for the irrigation or lavage actually performed, with documentation identifying the treated area, technique, and clinical purpose. The service has a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are 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. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this service.
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 30210 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
4 payment localities
$148.56 to $162.96
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $162.96 | $103.55 |
| East St. Louis | $151.62 | $97.23 |
| Rest Of Illinois | $148.56 | $94.58 |
| Suburban Chicago | $162.85 | $102.13 |
How the 30210 rate is calculated
Each of 30210’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 · 30210
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.10Practice expense 3.41Malpractice 0.15
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 30210
30210 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 30210
Sinus therapy
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 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) | 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. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 30210
Sinus therapy
10-day global period ends
Oct 11, 2026
Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
30210 without 51 · national office
$155.65
Sinus therapy
30210-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$77.83
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%).
30210 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
30210 vs 31000 vs 31002 vs 30200 vs 31231: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 31000Sinus irrigation
- This code is for lavage by cannulation of the maxillary sinus; 30210 describes nasal or sinus irrigation or lavage more generally.
- 31002Sinus irrigation
- This code is for lavage by cannulation of the frontal sinus; 30210 describes nasal or sinus irrigation or lavage more generally.
- 30200Nasal injection
- 30200 describes injection treatment of the nose. Choose 30210 when the service is irrigation or lavage rather than an injection.
- 31231Nasal endoscopy
- 31231 is diagnostic nasal endoscopy, an examination rather than therapeutic irrigation or lavage.
30210 billing questions
When should 30210 be used instead of 31000 or 31002?
Use 30210 for nasal or sinus irrigation or lavage. Use 31000 for lavage by cannulation of the maxillary sinus and 31002 for lavage by cannulation of the frontal sinus.
Can modifier 50 be reported for treatment of both sides?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for 30210; the CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this service.
Are related postoperative visits separately reportable?
Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure.
How does the multiple-procedure rule affect 30210?
When it is performed with other procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard 50% reduction.
What documentation supports reporting 30210?
Document the clinical reason for treatment, the nasal or sinus area treated, and the irrigation or lavage performed. If lavage was performed by cannulation of a named sinus, consider the corresponding site-specific code instead.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
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 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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