$80.94
31505 covers diagnostic indirect laryngoscopy without lesion removal. Use 31512 when the documented service includes removing a laryngeal lesion.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
31512 Laryngeal lesion removal Medicare reimbursement rates in Kentucky
Report 31512 when a clinician uses indirect laryngoscopic visualization to remove a lesion from the larynx, rather than only examining or biopsying it. Compare 31512 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Kentucky.
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 31512 in Kentucky?
Kentucky has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$200.45
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Kentucky
One mapped payment locality.
Facility setting
$107.81
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Kentucky
One mapped payment locality.
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.
Otolaryngology
About 31512: Indirect laryngoscopic laryngeal lesion removal
Report 31512 when a clinician uses indirect laryngoscopic visualization to remove a lesion from the larynx, rather than only examining or biopsying it.
An otolaryngologist typically performs this service when an identified laryngeal lesion can be reached and removed under indirect visualization. The clinician views the larynx indirectly and uses an instrument to remove the lesion; this differs from a diagnostic examination alone or a procedure performed with direct operative laryngoscopy. The service may be provided in an office or another setting appropriate to the patient and procedure.
Choose the code for removal, not for inspection alone, biopsy alone, or removal of a foreign body. The operative note should identify the laryngeal lesion, document its removal, and support the indirect approach. This minor procedure has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 31512
- Global period
- Minor procedure with a 0-day global period: same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included.
- Multiple procedures
- Endoscopy family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery is paid only with documentation of medical necessity.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU2.02 · 31%
- Practice expense (office) RVU4.18 · 64%
- Malpractice RVU0.29 · 4%
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.
31512 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Kentucky, from the same CMS release.
$198.38
31510 is for indirect laryngoscopy with biopsy. 31512 represents removal of the lesion, rather than sampling it for diagnosis.
No office rate
31540 describes laryngoscopic excision of a tumor using a direct operative approach. 31512 is for lesion removal under indirect visualization.
Compare 31512 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.
1 of 1 payment localities
Kentucky →
Office / nonfacility
$200.45
Facility
$107.81
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How this local rate is calculated
Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 31512 in Kentucky.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
3,579
- Code
- 31512
- Physician work
- 2.02
- Practice expense
- 4.18
- Malpractice
- 0.29
GPCI2026.csv
55
- Locality
- Kentucky
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.889
- Malpractice
- 0.915
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 2.02 | × 1.000 | 2.0200 |
| Practice expense | 4.18 | × 0.889 | 3.7160 |
| Malpractice | 0.29 | × 0.915 | 0.2653 |
| Total RVUs | 6.0014 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Office / nonfacility rate, Kentucky$200.45
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Office / nonfacility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 2.02 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 4.18 | 0.889 |
| Malpractice | 0.29 | 0.915 |
(2.02 × 1 + 4.18 × 0.889 + 0.29 × 0.915) × $33.4009 = $200.45
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 2.02 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 1.06 | 0.889 |
| Malpractice | 0.29 | 0.915 |
(2.02 × 1 + 1.06 × 0.889 + 0.29 × 0.915) × $33.4009 = $107.81
The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.
31512 billing questions
How does 31512 differ from 31505?
31505 is for diagnostic indirect laryngoscopy. Report 31512 when the clinician removes a laryngeal lesion during the indirect examination.
When is 31510 a better choice?
Use 31510 for indirect laryngoscopy with biopsy when tissue is sampled for diagnosis, rather than a lesion being removed as the service.
Can 31512 be reported with another endoscopy on the same date?
Related endoscopies performed together are subject to CMS endoscopy-family pricing. Document the distinct procedures performed; payment follows the applicable family pricing.
Should modifier 50 be used for lesions on both sides?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to 31512, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
What documentation supports reporting 31512?
Document the laryngeal lesion, the indirect visualization approach, and that the lesion was removed. An assistant-at-surgery claim also requires documentation of medical necessity.
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.
3,5763150F,,Forceps esoph biopsy done,I,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,57731510,,Laryngoscopy with biopsy,A,,1.87,4.31,,1.02,,0.26,6.44,3.15,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,0,0,0,9,31505,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,57831511,,Remove foreign body larynx,A,,2.11,3.90,,1.08,,0.30,6.31,3.49,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,31505,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,57931512,,Removal of larynx lesion,A,,2.02,4.18,,1.06,,0.29,6.49,3.37,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,0,0,0,9,31505,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,58031513,,Injection into vocal cord,A,,2.05,1.06,NA,1.06,,0.29,3.40,3.40,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,0,0,0,9,31505,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,58131515,,Laryngoscopy for aspiration,A,,1.76,4.85,,1.02,,0.26,6.87,3.04,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,58231520,,Dx laryngoscopy newborn,A,,2.50,1.17,NA,1.17,,0.37,4.04,4.04,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5208102,IN,00,INDIANA,1.000,0.927,0.486
5305102,IA,00,IOWA,1.000,0.915,0.397
5405202,KS,00,KANSAS,1.000,0.904,0.504
5515102,KY,00,KENTUCKY,1.000,0.889,0.915
5607202,LA,01,NEW ORLEANS,1.000,0.941,1.136
5707202,LA,99,REST OF LOUISIANA,1.000,0.885,0.958
5814112,ME,03,SOUTHERN MAINE,1.000,0.991,0.631