No office rate
Use 69725 when decompression includes the facial nerve at the geniculate ganglion. Use 69720 when the release is limited to the segment lateral to it.
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CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
69725 Facial nerve decompression Medicare reimbursement rates in Vermont
Reports surgical decompression of the intratemporal facial nerve that includes the segment at the geniculate ganglion, typically for facial nerve dysfunction caused by compression. Compare 69725 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 69725 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
$1555.17
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.
Otolaryngology surgery
About 69725: Intratemporal facial nerve decompression including geniculate ganglion
Reports surgical decompression of the intratemporal facial nerve that includes the segment at the geniculate ganglion, typically for facial nerve dysfunction caused by compression.
An otologist or neurotologist performs this operation to relieve pressure on the facial nerve as it travels through the temporal bone, with the decompression extending to include the geniculate ganglion. It is used when the operative plan requires release of that more proximal intratemporal segment, rather than decompression limited to the nerve lateral to the ganglion. The service is generally performed in an operating room through an approach to the temporal bone.
Choose this code based on the documented extent of decompression, not simply the diagnosis of facial weakness or paralysis. The operative report should identify the intratemporal nerve segments exposed and released, including the geniculate ganglion. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 69725
- 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 procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU26.95 · 55%
- Practice expense (office) RVU17.80 · 37%
- Malpractice RVU3.93 · 8%
13
Medicare services in 2024 · #6136 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.
69725 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Vermont, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
69740 describes repair of an extracranial facial nerve injury. 69725 is decompression of the nerve within the temporal bone.
No office rate
69745 is for facial nerve repair in an intracranial or intratemporal location. 69725 is for releasing a compressed intratemporal nerve, not repairing a disrupted nerve.
Compare 69725 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
$1555.17
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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 69725 in Vermont.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
7,655
- Code
- 69725
- Physician work
- 26.95
- Practice expense
- 17.80
- Malpractice
- 3.93
GPCI2026.csv
105
- Locality
- Vermont
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.990
- Malpractice
- 0.506
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 26.95 | × 1.000 | 26.9500 |
| Practice expense | 17.80 | × 0.990 | 17.6220 |
| Malpractice | 3.93 | × 0.506 | 1.9886 |
| Total RVUs | 46.5606 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Vermont$1555.17
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 26.95 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 17.8 | 0.99 |
| Malpractice | 3.93 | 0.506 |
(26.95 × 1 + 17.8 × 0.99 + 3.93 × 0.506) × $33.4009 = $1555.17
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.
69725 billing questions
How does 69725 differ from 69720?
The distinction is the extent of decompression. Report 69725 when the documented release includes the facial nerve at the geniculate ganglion; 69720 is for decompression lateral to the ganglion.
What should the operative note document?
Document the intratemporal nerve segments exposed and decompressed, specifically whether the work includes the geniculate ganglion. A diagnosis of facial paralysis alone does not establish the extent of the procedure.
How is 69725 paid when another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50% when performed in the same session.
How should bilateral decompression be reported?
For a bilateral procedure, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral service at 150%.
Can an assistant or another surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid for this procedure. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What care is included in the global period?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
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.
7,65269717,,Rplcmt oi implt skl prq esp,A,,7.71,5.91,NA,5.91,,1.13,14.75,14.75,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,65369719,,Rplcm oi implt sk tc esp<100,A,,9.22,6.28,NA,6.28,,1.33,16.83,16.83,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,65469720,,Release facial nerve,A,,14.34,15.11,NA,15.11,,2.28,31.73,31.73,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,0,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,65569725,,Release facial nerve,A,,26.95,17.80,NA,17.80,,3.93,48.68,48.68,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,65669726,,Rmv ntr oi implt skl prq esp,A,,6.20,5.54,NA,5.54,,0.91,12.65,12.65,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,65769727,,Rmv ntr oi imp sk tc esp<100,A,,7.20,5.79,NA,5.79,,1.06,14.05,14.05,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,65869728,,Rmv ntr oi imp sk tc>=100,A,,8.29,6.06,NA,6.06,,1.21,15.56,15.56,0,090,0.07,0.79,0.14,2,1,1,0,0,9,,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