$246.79–$266.27
31525 is direct diagnostic laryngoscopy without the specific operating microscope or telescope technique. Choose 31526 when that optical technique is documented.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
31526 Diagnostic laryngoscopy Medicare reimbursement rates in Oregon
Reports direct examination of the larynx using an operating microscope or telescope when magnified visualization is needed for diagnostic evaluation. Compare 31526 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Oregon.
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 31526 in Oregon?
Oregon 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
No supported rate
Facility setting
$131.45–$137.79
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.
Otolaryngology procedure
About 31526: Direct diagnostic laryngoscopy with optical magnification
Reports direct examination of the larynx using an operating microscope or telescope when magnified visualization is needed for diagnostic evaluation.
An otolaryngologist passes a laryngoscope through the mouth to examine the larynx directly, using an operating microscope or telescope for magnified visualization. The examination may help evaluate persistent hoarseness, a suspected vocal fold abnormality, or another laryngeal finding. It is commonly performed in an operating room, often under general anesthesia, when an office examination cannot provide the needed view or assessment.
Report 31526 when the service is diagnostic and the documented technique uses the operating microscope or telescope. Documentation should identify the reason for the examination, the structures assessed, and the findings. When tissue sampling or treatment is performed, select the applicable operative laryngoscopy code rather than reporting this diagnostic service separately. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate; assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted, and co-surgeon and team-surgery payment are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 31526
- 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 RVU2.51 · 62%
- Practice expense (office) RVU1.17 · 29%
- Malpractice RVU0.37 · 9%
1.5K
Medicare services in 2024 · #2671 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.
31526 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Oregon, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
31536 includes biopsy during direct laryngoscopy with an operating microscope or telescope. Use it when tissue is sampled rather than reporting a diagnostic-only examination.
No office rate
31535 describes direct laryngoscopy with biopsy without the specified microscope-or-telescope technique. 31526 is diagnostic-only and requires that technique.
No office rate
31520 is the direct diagnostic laryngoscopy code for a newborn; 31526 is not the newborn-specific code.
Compare 31526 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
Portland →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$137.79
Rest Of Oregon →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$131.45
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31526 billing questions
How does 31526 differ from 31525?
Both describe direct diagnostic laryngoscopy, but 31526 specifies use of an operating microscope or telescope. Use 31525 when that magnified optical technique is not documented.
Can 31526 be reported with a laryngeal biopsy?
When biopsy is performed during the laryngoscopy, report the applicable biopsy code, such as 31536 when an operating microscope or telescope is used. Do not separately report the diagnostic examination for the same operative work.
What documentation supports 31526?
Document the diagnostic reason, direct examination of the larynx, use of an operating microscope or telescope, and relevant findings. The record should distinguish the examination from any biopsy or treatment performed.
Does modifier 50 apply when both sides of the larynx are examined?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code, so modifier 50 is not used for examining both vocal folds.
How are same-day services and surgical assistance handled?
The code has a 0-day global period, which includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. CMS does not pay for an assistant at surgery, co-surgeons, or team surgery for this service.
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.
3,58131515,,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
3,58331525,,Dx laryngoscopy excl nb,A,,2.56,4.58,,1.18,,0.38,7.52,4.12,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,58431526,,Dx laryngoscopy w/oper scope,A,,2.51,1.17,NA,1.17,,0.37,4.05,4.05,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,58531527,,Laryngoscopy for treatment,A,,3.19,1.34,NA,1.34,,0.46,4.99,4.99,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,0,0,0,9,31525,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,58631528,,Laryngoscopy and dilation,A,,2.31,1.08,NA,1.08,,0.35,3.74,3.74,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,0,0,0,9,31525,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,58731529,,Laryngoscopy and dilation,A,,2.61,1.14,NA,1.14,,0.38,4.13,4.13,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,0,0,0,9,31525,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00