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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesIncision Procedures on the Accessory SinusesCPT cpt-31020-middle-meatal-sinusotomy-intranasal-sinusotomy
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    CPT 31020: Middle Meatal Sinusotomy, Intranasal Approach

    Medicare pays $448 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 31020 describes an intranasal procedure in which the surgeon makes an incision and uses cutting forceps to perform a middle meatal sinusotomy, a type of endoscopic sinonasal surgery typically performed for drainage or access to the maxillary and ethmoid sinuses; service type: sinusotomy/operative endoscopic nasal surgery; typical site of service: operating room or ambulatory surgery center with endoscopic instrumentation and local or general anesthesia.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Office-based Laryngeal Procedures, Injectable Dermal Fillers and Bulking Agents (for New Mexico Only), Injectable Dermal Fillers and Bulking Agents (for Kentucky Only).

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A typical patient is an adult presenting to an otolaryngology clinic with persistent unilateral or bilateral nasal congestion, purulent rhinorrhea, facial pressure, or recurrent acute rhinosinusitis despite medical therapy. Diagnostic workup includes nasal endoscopy demonstrating mucopurulent drainage and obstruction of the ostiomeatal complex, and often CT imaging showing middle meatal obstruction or maxillary/anterior ethmoid sinus opacification. The clinical workflow: preoperative evaluation and informed consent in the clinic; perioperative anesthesia (local with sedation or general anesthesia depending on patient factors); intraoperative intranasal incision and use of cutting forceps to perform a middle meatal sinusotomy (31020) to enlarge the natural ostium and facilitate drainage; hemostasis and nasal packing as needed; immediate recovery and discharge (ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient department). Postoperative care includes nasal saline irrigations, short course antibiotics if indicated, follow-up nasal endoscopy, and wound care instructions.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    31231Nasal/sinus endoscopy, diagnostic, unilateral or bilateral (separate procedure)Diagnostic endoscopy commonly performed before or during planning for a middle meatal sinusotomy.
    31237Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical, with polypectomy, partial or total (separate procedure)Performed when polyp disease is encountered during sinusotomy and tissue removal is required.
    31267Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical, with maxillary antrostomy (including ethmoidectomy if performed)Often performed in conjunction with or as an extension of middle meatal sinusotomy to improve maxillary drainage.
    31025Excision; nasal turbinate, partial or complete, any methodMay be performed concurrently to address contributing turbinate hypertrophy and improve access or airway.
    A9270*Non-covered/administration code (example for supplies)Used by some facilities for specific disposable instrumentation or supply reporting in facility claims.

    *Notes: A9270 is a sample HCPCS often used for non-covered items; it is included here as an example of supply coding encountered in procedural billing. The input did not list related CPT codes; common contemporaneous codes are provided based on clinical practice.

    Related Modifiers

    6 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    23Modifier -23 (Unusual Anesthesia) is used on anesthesia service CPT codes when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia…- Use modifier -23 only on anesthesia CPT codes (00100–01999) when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia because of…
    22Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the…- When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
    78CPT modifier -78 indicates an unplanned, related return to the operating or procedure room by the same provider during the global postoperative period. It is appended when treatment for a…- Use modifier -78 when an unplanned, related complication during the original procedure’s global postoperative period requires the patient to return to a formal operating or procedure room and the…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207Y00000X
    208100000X
    207L00000X
    126800000X
    207RP1001X
    207LP2900X
    207ZF0201X
    163WP0809X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    30 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    A18.89Tuberculosis of other sites
    B95.3Streptococcus pneumoniae as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere
    J00Acute nasopharyngitis [common cold]
    J01.00Acute maxillary sinusitis, unspecified
    J01.01Acute recurrent maxillary sinusitis
    J01.10Acute frontal sinusitis, unspecified
    J01.11Acute recurrent frontal sinusitis
    J01.90Acute sinusitis, unspecified
    J01.91Acute recurrent sinusitis, unspecified
    J30.9Allergic rhinitis, unspecified

    Showing 1–10 of 30

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)1 / 2

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Office-based Laryngeal ProceduresPremera Bluecross2026-10-06
    Injectable Dermal Fillers and Bulking Agents (for New Mexico Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Injectable Dermal Fillers and Bulking Agents (for Kentucky Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Hearing Aids and Devices Including Wearable, Bone-Anchored, and Semi-Implantable (for Indiana Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Otoacoustic Emissions Testing (for Oxford Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Injectable Dermal Fillers and Bulking AgentsUnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Injectable Dermal Fillers and Bulking AgentsUnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Sinus Surgeries and Interventions (for North Carolina Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Injectable Dermal Fillers and Bulking Agents (for Nebraska Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Injectable Dermal Fillers and Bulking Agents (for Kansas Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-31000-MAXILLARY-SINUS-WASHOUT-IRRIGATION

    CPT 31000: Maxillary Sinus Irrigation (Antral Washout)

    CPT-31002-SPHENOID-SINUS-IRRIGATION-FLEXIBLE-CANNULA

    CPT 31002: Sphenoid Sinus Irrigation with Flexible Cannula

    CPT-31030-MAXILLARY-ANTRUM-MUCOSAL-REMOVAL-NASOANTRAL-WINDOW

    CPT 31030: Radical Antral Mucosal Resection with Nasoantral Window

    CPT-31032-MAXILLARY-ANTROSTOMY-POLYPECTOMY

    CPT 31032: Maxillary Antrostomy with Polypectomy

    CPT-31040-PTERYGOMAXILLARY-FOSSA-SURGERY

    CPT 31040: Surgery of the Pterygomaxillary Fossa

    CPT-31050-SPHENOID-SINUS-INCISION-BIOPSY

    CPT 31050: Sphenoid Sinus Incision with Possible Biopsy

    CPT-31051-SPHENOID-SINUS-MUCOSA-STRIPPING-POLYPECTOMY

    CPT 31051: Sphenoid Sinus Incision with Polyp Removal or Mucosal Stripping

    CPT-31070-TREPHINATION-FRONTAL-SINUS-OPENING

    CPT 31070: Frontal Sinus Trephination

    CPT-31075-FRONTAL-SINUS-EXCISION-TRANSORBITAL-APPROACH

    CPT 31075: Frontal Sinus Excision via Orbital Approach

    CPT-31080-FRONTAL-SINUS-OBLITERATION-EXTERNAL-APPROACH

    CPT 31080: Frontal Sinus Obliteration via Sub-brow Incision

    Showing 1–10 of 16

    Frequently Asked Questions

    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.
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