No office rate
This code describes epiglottidectomy. Choose 31540 for direct operative laryngoscopic excision or stripping of focal laryngeal tissue when that is the documented service.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
31420 Epiglottidectomy Medicare reimbursement rates in Vermont
Epiglottidectomy reports surgical removal of part or all of the epiglottis, such as for selected patients with epiglottic obstruction or collapse. Compare 31420 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Vermont.
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 31420 in Vermont?
Vermont 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
No supported rate
Facility setting
$711.46
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Vermont
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.
Laryngeal surgery
About 31420: Epiglottis removal surgery
Epiglottidectomy reports surgical removal of part or all of the epiglottis, such as for selected patients with epiglottic obstruction or collapse.
An otolaryngologist removes part or all of the epiglottis to address disease involving this structure. A recognized setting is treatment of selected patients with obstructive sleep apnea associated with epiglottic collapse; epiglottidectomy may also be performed for other specific epiglottic disorders. The procedure is generally performed in an operating room, with the operative approach and extent guided by the condition and anatomy.
Report the code when the documented operation removes epiglottic tissue, rather than merely sampling a lesion or revising another part of the larynx. The operative report should identify the indication, the epiglottis treated, and the extent of removal. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 31420
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are 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
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons paid only with supporting documentation.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU11.14 · 50%
- Practice expense (office) RVU9.43 · 42%
- Malpractice RVU1.63 · 7%
41
Medicare services in 2024 · #5479 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.
31420 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Vermont, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
This code reports epiglottidectomy; 31541 is for operative laryngoscopic excision or stripping performed with an operating microscope or telescope.
No office rate
31400 describes revision of the larynx. Use 31420 when the documented operation removes epiglottic tissue rather than revising the larynx.
Compare 31420 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
Vermont →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$711.46
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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 31420 in Vermont.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
3,571
- Code
- 31420
- Physician work
- 11.14
- Practice expense
- 9.43
- Malpractice
- 1.63
GPCI2026.csv
105
- Locality
- Vermont
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.990
- Malpractice
- 0.506
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 11.14 | × 1.000 | 11.1400 |
| Practice expense | 9.43 | × 0.990 | 9.3357 |
| Malpractice | 1.63 | × 0.506 | 0.8248 |
| Total RVUs | 21.3005 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Vermont$711.46
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 11.14 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 9.43 | 0.99 |
| Malpractice | 1.63 | 0.506 |
(11.14 × 1 + 9.43 × 0.99 + 1.63 × 0.506) × $33.4009 = $711.46
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.
31420 billing questions
When should this code be chosen over an operative laryngoscopy code?
Use 31420 when the operation removes part or all of the epiglottis. Codes for operative laryngoscopy may describe focal lesion excision or biopsy instead.
Is a diagnostic laryngoscopy separately reported during the same operation?
The operative report should support the work performed; do not treat an inspection that is part of the epiglottidectomy as a separate service.
Can modifier 50 be used for removal on both sides?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
How are other procedures in the same session handled?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
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.
3,56831400,,Revision of larynx,A,,11.31,15.00,NA,15.00,,1.65,27.96,27.96,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,5693140F,,Upper gi endo shows barrtts,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
3,5703141F,,Upper gi endo not barrtts,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
3,57131420,,Epiglottidectomy,A,,11.14,9.43,NA,9.43,,1.63,22.20,22.20,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,5723142F,,Barium swallow test ordered,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
3,57331500,,Insert emergency airway,A,,2.93,0.57,NA,0.57,,0.48,3.98,3.98,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,57431502,,Change of windpipe airway,A,,0.63,0.20,NA,0.20,,0.08,0.91,0.91,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
10204412,TX,18,HOUSTON,1.008,0.993,1.376
10304412,TX,99,REST OF TEXAS,1.000,0.949,0.903
10403502,UT,09,UTAH,1.000,0.940,0.898
10514512,VT,50,VERMONT,1.000,0.990,0.506
10611302,VA,00,VIRGINIA,1.000,0.983,0.706
10709202,VI,50,VIRGIN ISLANDS,1.000,1.011,0.985
10802402,WA,02,SEATTLE (KING CNTY),1.050,1.227,0.817