CPT code 88311: Tissue decalcification, calcified tissue preparation2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Tennessee

In Tennessee, Medicare pays $18.36 for 88311 in the office.

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 88311 nationwide

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 88311 covers

A histology laboratory decalcifies bone and other calcified tissue by removing mineral that would prevent the specimen from being cut into thin sections. This preparation may be needed for a bone biopsy, a bone-containing tumor specimen, or another calcified tissue sample before microscopic evaluation. Laboratory personnel generally perform the processing; a pathologist interprets the resulting tissue examination as part of the diagnostic workup.

Report 88311 when decalcification is performed, alongside the applicable surgical pathology examination when that specimen is also examined. The record should identify the specimen and support why decalcification was needed; the pathology report documents the diagnostic examination. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, modifier TC identifies the technical work, and billing without either modifier represents the global service. The professional and technical components are separately priced.

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.

How Tennessee compares for 88311

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 88311 runs from $17.78 in Arkansas to $25.26 in San Benito County, CA. Tennessee pays $18.36. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

Every other payment area

88311 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

See 88311 in every payment locality

How the 88311 rate is calculated

Each of 88311’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

Payment rules and modifiers for 88311

The CMS indicators that decide how 88311 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

Codes related to 88311

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

How 88311 has changed in Tennessee

Price 88311 for an earlier date of service

Where the Tennessee rate applies

Tennessee is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 504 cities and communities in Tennessee. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

• Adams
• Adamsville
• Alamo
• Alcoa
• Alexandria
• Algood
• Allardt
• Altamont

Browse all communities in Tennessee

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates