Billing code 31631: Airway stentMedicare rate & RVUs in Nevada
Report this service when bronchoscopy is used to place a stent in the trachea, including associated dilation when performed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 31631 in Nevada.
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 31631 covers
An interventional pulmonologist or thoracic surgeon uses a rigid or flexible bronchoscope to place a stent in the trachea, often to support an airway narrowed by stenosis or tumor. The procedure may include dilation to prepare or open the airway, and fluoroscopic guidance may be used. It is typically performed in a hospital or other facility setting.
Report 31631 for tracheal stent placement, not for dilation alone or placement of a bronchial stent. The operative report should identify the tracheal site, the stent placement, and any dilation or imaging guidance performed. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service, and 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.
31631 in Nevada**
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada** | Unavailable | $197.10 |
How the 31631 rate is calculated
Each of 31631’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 · 31631
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work4.25
4.25 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.25
1.25 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.48
0.48 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
5.9800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$199.74
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 31631
The CMS indicators that decide how 31631 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 31631
Airway stent
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included. |
| Multiple procedures | 3 | Endoscopy family rules apply. |
| 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. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
31631 without 51 · national facility
$199.74
Airway stent
31631-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$99.87
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%).
31631 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 31630Bronchoscopy
- Choose 31631 when a tracheal stent is placed. Choose 31630 for bronchoscopic dilation or fracture reduction without that stent placement.
- 31636Bronchial stent
- The placement site controls the choice: 31631 is for the trachea, while 31636 is for initial stent placement in a bronchus.
- 31638Airway stent revision
- 31631 reports tracheal stent placement; 31638 concerns revision of a previously placed tracheal or bronchial stent.
31631 billing questions
How does 31631 differ from 31630?
31631 is for placing a stent in the trachea. Use 31630 for bronchoscopy with airway dilation or fracture reduction when no tracheal stent is placed.
When should 31636 be used instead?
31636 describes initial stent placement in a bronchus. The placement site distinguishes it from 31631, which is for the trachea.
Can diagnostic bronchoscopy be reported separately?
Related endoscopies performed together are subject to endoscopy family pricing. Document the distinct services performed; do not assume a diagnostic inspection is separately reportable merely because it was performed.
Is modifier 50 appropriate for stents placed on both sides?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to 31631, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.
What documentation supports 31631?
Document the tracheal location, the stent placement, and any dilation or fluoroscopic guidance performed. The record should distinguish tracheal placement from bronchial stent placement.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 31631. 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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