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CPT code 88329: Pathology consult, gross examination only2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Washington, DC area

Reports a pathologist’s gross-only consultation during surgery when the surgeon needs an immediate assessment of a specimen without microscopic examination.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality18K Medicare services in 2024

In Washington, DC area, Medicare pays $58.60 for 88329 in the office and $30.27 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$58.60Office (non-facility)
$30.27Hospital or facility
+12.5%vs the national office rate ($52.11)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 88329 nationwide

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

We’ll open 88329 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Washington, DC area
  2. What 88329 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

What 88329 covers

During an operation, a pathologist examines a specimen by gross inspection and gives the surgeon an immediate assessment. The consultation may help address an intraoperative question about the tissue or specimen, such as whether the submitted material appears to contain the area of interest. The service is performed by a pathologist in connection with surgery; it is distinct from examination of prepared slides or frozen sections.

Report 88329 when the intraoperative consultation is based on gross examination only. Do not use it to represent microscopic frozen-section work. Documentation should identify the specimen and site, the question prompting consultation, the gross findings, and what was communicated to the surgeon. CMS assigns work, practice-expense, and malpractice relative values to the service; its practice-expense valuation differs between office and facility settings.

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 Washington, DC area compares for 88329

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 88329 runs from $47.36 in Arkansas to $66.72 in San Benito County, CA. Washington, DC area pays $58.60. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

88329 in Washington, DC area vs other payment areas
  1. Washington, DC area · this page$58.60
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$57.86−$0.74
  3. Miami, FL · Florida$55.34−$3.26
  4. Chicago, IL · Illinois$54.13−$4.47
  5. Manhattan, NY · New York$58.99+$0.39
  6. Alaska · Alaska$64.25+$5.65
  7. Alabama · Alabama$47.89−$10.71

Other areas in District of Columbia first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

88329 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
ArkansasArkansas$47.36$26.70
ArizonaArizona$51.01$27.71
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$54.79$28.43
Chico, CACalifornia$54.64$28.29
El Centro, CACalifornia$54.65$28.29
Fresno, CACalifornia$54.64$28.29
Hanford, CACalifornia$54.64$28.29
Madera, CACalifornia$54.64$28.29

88329 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$47.36

$64.25

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
88329 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$64.251
AL$47.891
AR$47.361
AZ$51.011
CA$54.64–$66.7229
CO$53.931
CT$55.061
DC$58.601
DE$51.731
FL$51.50–$55.343
GA$49.22–$52.902
GU$55.521
HI$55.521
IA$48.831
ID$49.081
IL$50.33–$54.134
IN$49.301
KS$48.651
KY$48.771
LA$48.71–$50.572
MA$53.72–$58.492
MD$52.56–$58.603
ME$49.28–$51.352
MI$49.75–$52.002
MN$52.011
MO$48.06–$50.713
MS$47.721
MT$52.101
NC$49.681
ND$51.311
NE$49.041
NH$53.131
NJ$55.78–$58.212
NM$49.961
NV$51.911
NY$50.26–$60.135
OH$49.591
OK$48.701
OR$51.59–$55.342
PA$49.65–$53.952
PR$52.411
RI$53.331
SC$49.701
SD$51.221
TN$48.841
TX$49.40–$53.688
UT$50.231
VA$51.22–$58.602
VI$52.411
VT$51.151
WA$53.61–$59.542
WI$49.961
WV$48.871
WY$51.761

See 88329 in every payment locality

How the 88329 rate is calculated

Each of 88329’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.

How the rate is built · 88329

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.65

0.65 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense0.87

0.87 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.04

0.04 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

1.5600

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$52.11

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

The exact Washington, DC area inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

11,235

Code
88329
Physician work
0.65
Practice expense
0.87
Malpractice
0.04

GPCI2026.csv

39

Locality
Washington, DC area
Physician work
1.054
Practice expense
1.178
Malpractice
1.113
Office calculation for 88329 in Washington, DC area
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work0.65× 1.0540.6851
Practice expense0.87× 1.1781.0249
Malpractice0.04× 1.1130.0445
Total RVUs1.7545
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, Washington, DC area$58.60

Office: (0.65 × 1.054 + 0.87 × 1.178 + 0.04 × 1.113) × $33.4009 = $58.60

Facility: (0.65 × 1.054 + 0.15 × 1.178 + 0.04 × 1.113) × $33.4009 = $30.27

Open 88329 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 88329

88329 has no global surgery period, no multiple-procedure, bilateral or assistant-at-surgery adjustment, and no professional/technical split. What changes the payment is where the service happens: the place of service on the claim decides whether Medicare pays the office or the facility rate.

Place of service · 88329

Which rate does Medicare pay?

The POS code on the claim line (CMS-1500 box 24B).

POS 11 · non-facility rate · national

$52.11

Non-facility (office)
$52.11
Facility
$28.06

Higher because the practice carries its own overhead.

Codes related to 88329

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

Codes related to 88329
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, Washington, DC area
Used instead
88331Frozen section, first block, one specimenUse for intraoperative consultation with microscopic frozen-section examination rather than gross inspection alone.$109.63
88333Surgical cytology, initial specimenRepresents intraoperative consultation involving cytologic examination instead of gross-only assessment.$98.96
88321Slide consultation, outside-prepared slidesRepresents consultation and report based on prepared slides received from another source.$103.83
88323Pathology consultation, referred material, slides preparedRepresents consultation on referred material that requires preparation of slides.$125.57
88325Pathology consultation, comprehensive record reviewRepresents comprehensive consultation based on review of records and other materials, not an intraoperative gross-only assessment.$168.85
Same family
88332Frozen section, each additional tissue blockReports additional tissue blocks in the frozen-section consultation service represented by 88331.$60.51

How 88329 has changed in Washington, DC area

88329 · Office / nonfacility

$58.60

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $1.29 lower than on 2025-10-01, moving from $59.89 to $58.60 (2.2%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release

  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $59.89changed to$58.60

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 0.67 changed to 0.65
    • Practice expense RVU 0.92 changed to 0.87
    • Work GPCI 1.057 changed to 1.054
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.192 changed to 1.178
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.168 changed to 1.113

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $62.43changed to$59.89

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 0.94 changed to 0.92

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $61.41changed to$62.43

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $65.14changed to$61.41

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 0.96 changed to 0.94
    • Work GPCI 1.056 changed to 1.057
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.214 changed to 1.192
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.231 changed to 1.168

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $67.72changed to$65.14

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 0.97 changed to 0.96
    • Work GPCI 1.054 changed to 1.056
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.236 changed to 1.214
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.294 changed to 1.231

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $69.14changed to$67.72

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 0.99 changed to 0.97

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $62.48changed to$69.14

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 0.79 changed to 0.99
    • Malpractice RVU 0.05 changed to 0.04
    • Work GPCI 1.049 changed to 1.054
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.221 changed to 1.236
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.277 changed to 1.294

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $60.06changed to$62.48

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 0.76 changed to 0.79
    • Malpractice RVU 0.04 changed to 0.05
    • Work GPCI 1.045 changed to 1.049
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.205 changed to 1.221
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.261 changed to 1.277

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $60.42changed to$60.06

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 0.77 changed to 0.76

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $60.32changed to$60.42

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Work GPCI 1.048 changed to 1.045
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.271 changed to 1.261

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $58.11changed to$60.32

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Practice expense RVU 0.72 changed to 0.77
    • Work GPCI 1.051 changed to 1.048
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.280 changed to 1.271

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $67.82changed to$58.11

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 0.95 changed to 0.72
    • Malpractice RVU 0.03 changed to 0.04

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $67.48changed to$67.82

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $65.25changed to$67.48

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 0.89 changed to 0.95
    • Malpractice RVU 0.04 changed to 0.03
    • Work GPCI 1.050 changed to 1.051
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.202 changed to 1.205
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.205 changed to 1.280

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $65.39changed to$65.25

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 0.98 changed to 0.89
    • Work GPCI 1.049 changed to 1.050
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.198 changed to 1.202
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.130 changed to 1.205

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: $65.39

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$58.60$30.27RVU26D
2026-07-01$58.60$30.27RVU26C
2026-04-01$58.60$30.27RVU26B
2026-01-01$58.60$30.27RVU26A
2025-10-01$59.89$36.76RVU25D
2025-07-01$59.89$36.76RVU25C
2025-04-01$59.89$36.76RVU25B
2025-01-01$59.89$36.76RVU25A
2024-10-01$62.43$37.83RVU24D
2024-07-01$62.43$37.83RVU24C
2024-04-01$62.43$37.83RVU24B
2024-03-09$62.43$37.83RVU24AR
2024-01-01$61.41$37.21RVU24A
2023-10-01$65.14$39.22RVU23D
2023-07-01$65.14$39.22RVU23C
2023-04-01$65.14$39.22RVU23B
2023-01-01$65.14$39.22RVU23A
2022-10-01$67.72$39.92RVU22D
2022-07-01$67.72$39.92RVU22C
2022-04-01$67.72$39.92RVU22B
2022-01-01$67.72$39.92RVU22A
2021-10-01$69.14$40.25RVU21D
2021-07-01$69.14$40.25RVU21C
2021-04-01$69.14$40.25RVU21B
2021-01-01$69.14$40.25RVU21A
2020-10-01$62.48$42.21RVU20D
2020-07-01$62.48$42.21RVU20C
2020-04-01$62.48$42.21RVU20B
2020-01-01$62.48$42.21RVU20A
2019-10-01$60.06$41.38RVU19D
2019-07-01$60.06$41.38RVU19C
2019-04-01$60.06$41.38RVU19B
2019-01-01$60.06$41.38RVU19A
2018-10-01$60.42$42.20RVU18D
2018-07-01$60.42$42.20RVU18C
2018-04-01$60.42$42.20RVU18B
2018-01-01$60.42$42.20RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$60.32$42.16RVU17D
2017-07-01$60.32$42.16RVU17C
2017-04-01$60.32$42.16RVU17B
2017-01-01$60.32$42.16RVU17A
2016-10-01$58.11$42.15RVU16D
2016-07-01$58.11$42.15RVU16C
2016-04-01$58.11$42.15RVU16B
2016-01-01$58.11$42.15RVU16A
2015-10-01$67.82$40.97RVU15D
2015-07-01$67.82$40.97RVU15C
2015-04-01$67.48$40.77RVU15B
2015-01-01$67.48$40.77RVU15A
2014-10-01$65.25$40.28RVU14D
2014-07-01$65.25$40.28RVU14C
2014-04-01$65.25$40.28RVU14B
2014-01-01$65.25$40.28RVU14A
2013-10-01$65.39$39.31RVU13D
2013-07-01$65.39$39.31RVU13C
2013-04-01$65.39$39.31RVU13B
2013-01-01$65.39$39.31RVU13AR

Price 88329 for an earlier date of service

Where the Washington, DC area rate applies

Washington, DC area is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 1 cities and communities in District of Columbia. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Washington

Browse all communities in District of Columbia

88329 billing questions

How does 88329 differ from 88331?

88329 represents an intraoperative consultation based on gross examination only. Use 88331 for intraoperative consultation involving microscopic evaluation of frozen-section tissue.

Does 88329 include a frozen section?

No. The service described by 88329 is gross-only; frozen-section microscopy is represented by the appropriate intraoperative consultation code, such as 88331.

What should the pathology report document?

Record the specimen and site, the reason for the surgeon’s request, the gross findings, and the communication of the assessment during surgery.

Can 88329 represent the later permanent-section examination?

No. It represents the intraoperative gross consultation. The later examination of processed tissue is a separate surgical pathology service when performed.

When is 88333 a closer match?

88333 represents an intraoperative consultation involving cytologic examination. Choose 88329 when the consultation is based on gross inspection alone.

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

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 88329PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 11,235 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for Washington, DC areaGPCI2026.csv, line 39 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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