Loading...

    Explore
    • Policy Monitoring
    • Live Policy Feed
    • Billing Codes
    • Healthcare Providers
    • Health Insurance Payers
    • States
    • Service Lines
    • Taxonomy Codes
    Lookup tools
    • Billing Code Lookup
    • CPT Modifier Lookup
    • Provider Taxonomy Code Lookup
    • Healthcare Provider & Facility Lookup
    • Health Insurance Payer Lookup
    • Payer Contact Directory

    Policy & Benchmark Tools

    • Prior Authorization Lookup
    • Coverage Criteria Lookup
    • Timely Filing Lookup
    • Billing Code Reimbursement Rates
    • Payer Comparison Dashboard
    • Facility Comparison Dashboard
    • All tools

    Company

    • About OpenPayer
    • Data Sources
    • Trek Health
    OpenPayerby Trek Health
    LinkedInYouTube

    © 2026 Trek Health. All rights reserved.

    OpenPayer is built and maintained by Trek Health.

    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesDiseases and Disorders of the Ear, Nose, Mouth and ThroatDRG 139-salivary-gland-procedures
    Ask Trek AI about this page

    Salivary Gland Procedures: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    DRG 139 addresses inpatient admissions for salivary gland procedures such as excision, drainage, and gland removal, encompassing both benign and malignant indications. This Diagnosis-Related Group matters for inpatient reimbursement because it groups clinically similar surgical cases to determine Medicare prospective payments that reflect expected resource use.

    Customize your policy alerts

    Sign up for drg 139 policy alerts

    Get alerted when payer policies referencing 139 are released or updated.

    Monitor payer policy activity

    Receive email alerts as soon as relevant payer policies are published or updated.

    DRG 139 Overview

    DRG 139 covers inpatient admissions for salivary gland procedures, including excision, drainage, and partial or total gland removal for benign and malignant conditions. This Diagnosis-Related Group is relevant when these procedures are the principal reason for hospitalization and may involve varying complexity based on patient comorbidities and surgical approach. It matters for Medicare payment because it groups cases with similar clinical resource needs to determine prospective payment rates under the inpatient prospective payment system. Accurate coding of procedures and any Complication or Comorbidity or Major Complication or Comorbidity is essential to assign the correct Diagnosis-Related Group and resulting payment.

    Table of contents

    Progress1 / 3

    Explore openpayer tools

    • Billing CodesCPT, HCPCS, DRG & more
    • Reimbursement RatesCommercial vs. Medicare rate reports
    • Facility ComparisonBeds, revenue & payer mix
    • ProvidersHospitals & facilities
    • PayersPlans & market footprint
    • Taxonomy CodesNUCC specialty codes
    • ModifiersCPT modifiers & usage
    • Prior AuthorizationPA policies by payer & drug
    • Timely FilingFiling deadlines by payer
    • Coverage CriteriaMedical necessity by payer
    • Payer ContactsClaims, PA & appeals contacts
    View all tools

    Clinical Trials

    • Acute perioperative management and complication reduction trials: studies in this area evaluate interventions to reduce intraoperative bleeding, facial nerve injury, surgical site infections, or postoperative salivary fistula following parotidectomy, submandibular gland excision, or sialendoscopy. Typical patient populations are adults undergoing planned or urgent salivary gland surgery for obstructive sialadenitis, neoplasms (benign or malignant), or traumatic injury; trials may test hemostatic techniques, nerve-monitoring protocols, or perioperative antibiotic and steroid strategies. These trials matter to surgeons, hospital administrators, and payers because reducing immediate complications shortens length of stay, lowers readmission risk, and decreases high-cost downstream resource use.
    • Comparative effectiveness and surgical technique trials: randomized or observational studies compare different operative approaches (e.g., superficial versus total parotidectomy, extracapsular dissection versus formal resection, endoscopic sialendoscopy versus open gland excision) and adjuncts such as intraoperative nerve monitoring or reconstructive flaps. These studies focus on patient-centered outcomes including facial nerve function, recurrence rates for benign and malignant tumors, functional saliva production, aesthetic results, and procedure-related costs in populations stratified by tumor type, gland involved, and comorbidity burden. Results inform clinical guidelines and payer coverage decisions by identifying techniques that optimize long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness for distinct subgroups within the DRG.
    • Post-discharge outcomes, rehabilitation, and health-services research: prospective cohort studies and pragmatic trials assess long-term functional recovery, quality of life, chronic xerostomia management, surveillance protocols for malignancy, and patterns of outpatient care and readmission after discharge for salivary gland procedures. These investigations enroll patients after hospital discharge to study rehabilitation needs (speech/swallow therapy), chronic pain or dry mouth interventions, and the impact of follow-up intensity on recurrence detection and costs. Findings are relevant to providers and payers because they guide resource allocation for outpatient services, surveillance intervals, and supportive care that can reduce costly complications and improve patient-reported outcomes associated with this DRG.

    Related Codes

    135-SINUS-AND-MASTOID-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC-MCC

    Sinus and Mastoid Procedures with CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    136-SINUS-AND-MASTOID-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

    Sinus and Mastoid Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    137-MOUTH-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC-MCC

    Mouth Procedures with CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    138-MOUTH-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

    Mouth Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    140-MAJOR-HEAD-AND-NECK-PROCEDURES-WITH-MCC

    Major Head and Neck Procedures with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    141-MAJOR-HEAD-AND-NECK-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC

    Major Head and Neck Procedures with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    142-MAJOR-HEAD-AND-NECK-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

    Major Head and Neck Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    143-OTHER-EAR-NOSE-MOUTH-AND-THROAT-O-R-PROCEDURES-WITH-MCC

    Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat O.R. Procedures with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    144-OTHER-EAR-NOSE-MOUTH-AND-THROAT-O-R-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC

    Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat O.R. Procedures with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    145-OTHER-EAR-NOSE-MOUTH-AND-THROAT-O-R-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

    Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat O.R. Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    Showing 1–10 of 24

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
    Published by

    Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

    Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.