Billing code 69729: Hearing implantMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports surgical placement of a large-surface osseointegrated skull implant with a transcutaneous connection for a bone-conduction hearing system.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 69729 in Illinois.
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 69729 covers
An otolaryngologist places an osseointegrated fixture in the skull for a bone-conduction hearing system, with the implant connecting to an external sound processor through intact skin. The implant’s surface area must be 100 mm² or greater. This approach may be used for patients whose hearing needs are addressed with bone-conduction sound transmission, including some patients with conductive or mixed hearing loss or single-sided deafness. The implant surgery is typically performed in an operating room or other surgical facility.
Select this code based on the transcutaneous connection and documented implant surface area, not simply the patient’s hearing diagnosis. The operative report should identify the implant and establish that its surface area meets the 100 mm² threshold. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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% reduction. Modifier 50 supports bilateral reporting, paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid; 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 69729 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.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | Unavailable | $655.45 |
| East St. Louis | Unavailable | $621.13 |
| Rest Of Illinois | Unavailable | $597.48 |
| Suburban Chicago | Unavailable | $634.50 |
How the 69729 rate is calculated
Each of 69729’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 · 69729
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 9.72Practice expense 6.43Malpractice 1.47
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 69729
69729 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 69729
Hearing implant
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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) | 0.07/0.79/0.14 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 69729
Hearing implant
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
69729 without 50 · national facility
$588.52
Hearing implant
69729-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$882.78
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
69729 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
69729 vs 69716 vs 69714 vs 69730 vs 69728: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 69716Bone conduction implant
- Both are initial transcutaneous implant placements; 69716 applies below the 100 mm² surface-area threshold, while 69729 applies at or above it.
- 69714Hearing implant
- 69714 uses a percutaneous attachment to the external processor. 69729 uses a transcutaneous connection through intact skin.
- 69730Implant replacement
- 69730 is for replacing an existing transcutaneous implant with surface area of 100 mm² or greater; 69729 is for initial placement.
- 69728Implant removal
- 69728 describes removal of a transcutaneous implant with surface area of 100 mm² or greater, rather than placement.
69729 billing questions
How does this code differ from 69716?
Both describe initial placement of an osseointegrated skull implant with a transcutaneous connection. Choose 69729 when the implant surface area is 100 mm² or greater; 69716 is for an area under 100 mm².
How does this differ from 69714?
69729 describes a transcutaneous connection through intact skin. 69714 describes an implant with a percutaneous attachment to the external processor.
What should the operative report document?
Document the transcutaneous connection and the implant’s surface area, along with the surgical placement. The area must be at least 100 mm² for 69729.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral implantation?
Yes. CMS treats the procedure as bilateral with modifier 50 and pays it at 150%.
What postoperative care is included in the global period?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Is this code for replacing an existing implant?
No. 69729 is for initial implant placement. Code 69730 describes replacement of the corresponding transcutaneous implant with a surface area of 100 mm² or greater.
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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