$118.65–$132.17
31575 describes diagnostic laryngoscopy without stroboscopy. Choose 31579 when the examination includes stroboscopic evaluation of vocal fold vibration.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
31579 Laryngoscopy Medicare reimbursement rates in Texas
Flexible or rigid laryngoscopy with stroboscopic assessment evaluates vocal fold vibration in patients with hoarseness, voice change, or suspected vocal fold disorder. Compare 31579 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Texas.
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 31579 in Texas?
Texas has 8 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 8 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$183.16–$201.57
8 of 8 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.
Where 31579 pays more and less in Texas
8 payment localities
$183.16 to $201.57
Otolaryngology
About 31579: Laryngeal stroboscopy examination
Flexible or rigid laryngoscopy with stroboscopic assessment evaluates vocal fold vibration in patients with hoarseness, voice change, or suspected vocal fold disorder.
An otolaryngologist or laryngologist uses a flexible scope passed through the nose or a rigid scope through the mouth to view the larynx while the patient phonates. Stroboscopic light makes vocal fold vibration appear in slow motion, helping assess the mucosal wave, vibratory symmetry, closure, and subtle abnormalities. This examination is commonly performed in an office voice clinic for persistent hoarseness, vocal fatigue, or suspected vocal fold lesions or paresis.
Report 31579 when the encounter includes stroboscopic assessment, not just laryngeal visualization. The record should support the voice-related indication and describe the examination and relevant findings. CMS assigns 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 for this service. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 31579
- 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
- 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 RVU1.83 · 31%
- Practice expense (office) RVU3.77 · 65%
- Malpractice RVU0.24 · 4%
94.9K
Medicare services in 2024 · #576 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.
31579 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Texas, from the same CMS release.
$250.07–$279.18
31576 includes biopsy during laryngoscopy. Stroboscopic assessment without tissue sampling is reported with 31579.
$284.25–$315.43
31578 is for endoscopic removal of a laryngeal lesion. 31579 evaluates vocal fold vibration and does not describe lesion removal.
$105.49–$112.15
92524 is a formal voice and resonance evaluation, not a scope examination. It may be reported separately when both distinct services are performed.
Compare 31579 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.
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | Office $201.57 | Facility $105.10 |
| Beaumont | Office $183.16 | Facility $100.18 |
| Brazoria | Office $192.65 | Facility $102.29 |
| Dallas | Office $193.97 | Facility $103.15 |
| Fort Worth | Office $192.81 | Facility $102.91 |
| Galveston | Office $193.29 | Facility $102.74 |
| Houston | Office $197.68 | Facility $107.14 |
| Rest Of Texas | Office $187.86 | Facility $101.33 |
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31579 billing questions
When should 31579 be chosen instead of 31575?
Report 31579 when stroboscopy is performed to assess vocal fold vibration. Use 31575 for diagnostic laryngoscopy without that stroboscopic assessment.
Can a separate voice evaluation be reported with 31579?
A separately performed and documented formal voice and resonance evaluation may be reported with 92524. The laryngoscopy and voice evaluation must represent distinct services.
What documentation supports 31579?
Document the voice-related complaint or indication, the scope approach, that stroboscopy was performed, and the observed vocal fold vibration or other relevant findings.
Should modifier 50 be used for examination of both vocal folds?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for 31579; examination of both vocal folds does not support modifier 50.
How is 31579 priced when another related endoscopy is performed?
CMS applies endoscopy-family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together. The claim should reflect the services actually performed and documented.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed for 31579?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code, and 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 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.
3,60931576,,Laryngoscopy with biopsy,A,,1.84,5.94,,1.01,,0.26,8.04,3.11,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,31575,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,61031577,,Largsc w/rmvl foreign bdy(s),A,,2.14,5.87,,1.08,,0.34,8.35,3.56,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,0,0,0,9,31575,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,61131578,,Largsc w/removal lesion,A,,2.37,6.38,,1.14,,0.36,9.11,3.87,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,0,0,0,9,31575,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,61231579,,Laryngoscopy telescopic,A,,1.83,3.77,,1.04,,0.24,5.84,3.11,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,31575,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,61331580,,Laryngoplasty laryngeal web,A,,14.24,18.58,NA,18.58,,2.08,34.90,34.90,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,0,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,61431584,,Laryngoplasty fx rdctj fixj,A,,17.14,18.28,NA,18.28,,2.50,37.92,37.92,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,0,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,61531587,,Laryngoplasty cricoid split,A,,14.89,15.59,NA,15.59,,2.17,32.65,32.65,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,0,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00