No office rate
This is the close sibling for arytenoidectomy when an operating microscope or telescope is used. Code 31560 describes the operative service without that scope distinction.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
31560 Operative laryngoscopy Medicare reimbursement rates in Virginia
Reports direct operative laryngoscopy with removal of arytenoid tissue, commonly to widen the airway in selected patients with impaired vocal-fold movement. Compare 31560 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Virginia.
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 31560 in Virginia?
Virginia 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
$255.09–$287.13
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 surgery
About 31560: Operative laryngoscopy with arytenoidectomy
Reports direct operative laryngoscopy with removal of arytenoid tissue, commonly to widen the airway in selected patients with impaired vocal-fold movement.
An otolaryngologist performs this procedure through a direct laryngoscope to remove arytenoid cartilage or tissue. It is commonly used to enlarge the glottic airway for a patient with bilateral vocal-fold immobility or another condition restricting airflow at the posterior larynx. The service is generally performed in an operating room under anesthesia, with the surgeon documenting the indication and the tissue removed.
Report the code when arytenoidectomy is the operative service, rather than diagnostic inspection, biopsy, or removal of a laryngeal tumor. The operative report should identify the airway or laryngeal problem, the arytenoid work performed, and the surgical approach. 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 code. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 31560
- 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
- Assistant at surgery is paid only with documentation of medical necessity.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU5.31 · 67%
- Practice expense (office) RVU1.80 · 23%
- Malpractice RVU0.79 · 10%
13
Medicare services in 2024 · #6125 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.
31560 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Virginia, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
31540 is for operative laryngoscopic excision of a tumor; 31560 is for removal of arytenoid tissue.
$124.41–$145.82
31575 is diagnostic laryngoscopy for examination. It does not describe the operative arytenoidectomy performed under 31560.
Compare 31560 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
Dc + Md/Va Suburbs →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$287.13
Virginia →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$255.09
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31560 billing questions
How does 31560 differ from 31561?
Both describe operative laryngoscopy with arytenoidectomy. Use 31561 when the procedure includes an operating microscope or telescope; 31560 is the code without that added scope distinction.
When would 31540 be more appropriate?
31540 describes operative laryngoscopy with excision of a laryngeal tumor. Choose 31560 when the operative work is arytenoidectomy, not tumor excision.
Can diagnostic laryngoscopy be reported separately on the same date?
The direct laryngoscopic examination is integral to performing the operative arytenoidectomy. A separate diagnostic laryngoscopy such as 31575 should not be reported for the inspection that is part of the same operative service.
How are related endoscopies priced when performed together?
CMS applies endoscopy-family pricing when related endoscopies are performed in the same session. The code's 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.
Can modifier 50 be used, or can an assistant be billed?
Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; 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.
3,59831553,,Laryngoplasty laryngeal sten,A,,21.45,20.33,NA,20.33,,3.12,44.90,44.90,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,0,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,59931554,,Laryngoplasty laryngeal sten,A,,21.45,20.35,NA,20.35,,3.12,44.92,44.92,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,0,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,6003155F,,Cytogen test marrow b/4 tx,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
3,60131560,,Laryngoscop w/arytenoidectom,A,,5.31,1.80,NA,1.80,,0.79,7.90,7.90,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,0,0,0,9,31525,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,60231561,,Larynscop remve cart + scop,A,,5.84,1.93,NA,1.93,,0.85,8.62,8.62,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,0,0,0,9,31526,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,60331570,,Laryngoscope w/vc inj,A,,3.76,5.95,,1.52,,0.60,10.31,5.88,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,31525,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,60431571,,Laryngoscop w/vc inj + scope,A,,4.15,1.58,NA,1.58,,0.60,6.33,6.33,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,31526,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00