CPT code 88334: Intraoperative cytology, each additional site2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports a pathologist’s intraoperative cytologic evaluation at each additional site after the initial site is examined during surgery.
Medicare pays $51.08–$55.51 for 88334 in the office in Texas, from Beaumont, TX to Austin, TX. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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On this page 9 sections
What 88334 covers
A pathologist evaluates cytologic material from an additional site during surgery, often using a touch preparation or another rapid preparation to assess material while the procedure is underway. The result can help the surgical team make an immediate decision about the specimen or whether additional tissue is needed. This service is typically performed in connection with an operation, with laboratory staff preparing the material and the pathologist interpreting it.
Report 88334 with 88333 when the pathologist examines cytologic material from an additional site; the initial site is reported with 88333. Documentation should identify the sites examined and support a separate intraoperative evaluation for each additional site, rather than merely counting slides or preparations from one site. CMS classifies 88334 as an add-on billed with a primary procedure and paid within that procedure’s global period. Modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, modifier TC identifies the technical service, and an unmodified claim represents the global service.
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.
Where 88334 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 payment localities
$51.08 to $55.51
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $55.51 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont, TX | $51.08 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria, TX | $53.62 | Unavailable |
| Dallas, TX | $53.82 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth, TX | $53.53 | Unavailable |
| Galveston, TX | $53.70 | Unavailable |
| Houston, TX | $53.88 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Texas | $52.23 | Unavailable |
How the 88334 rate is calculated
Each of 88334’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 · 88334
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.71
0.71 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.89
0.89 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.01
0.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.6100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$53.78
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 88334
The CMS indicators that decide how 88334 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 88334
Intraoperative cytology, each additional site
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 1 | Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 26 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
88334 without 26 · national office
$53.78
Intraoperative cytology, each additional site
88334-26 · Professional component
$35.07
Pays only the interpretation and report.
88334 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 88333Surgical cytologyInitial specimen
- 88333 covers the initial cytologic site examined during surgery; 88334 covers each additional site in the same intraoperative consultation.
- 88331Frozen sectionFirst block, one specimen
- 88331 reports intraoperative frozen-section examination of the initial tissue block. Choose 88334 when the additional evaluation is cytologic and site-based.
- 88332Frozen sectionEach additional tissue block
- 88332 is for each additional tissue block examined by frozen section; 88334 is for each additional site evaluated cytologically.
- 88329Pathology consultGross examination only
- 88329 describes an intraoperative pathology consultation based on gross examination. 88334 applies when the additional intraoperative evaluation is cytologic.
88334 billing questions
When should 88334 be reported instead of 88333?
88333 reports the initial cytologic site examined during surgery. Report 88334 for each additional site evaluated in that intraoperative consultation.
Does each slide or preparation count as another unit?
No. The distinction is based on additional sites examined, not the number of slides or preparations from the same site. Document the site associated with each additional evaluation.
Can 88334 be billed by itself?
No. It is an add-on code and is reported with the primary procedure, typically 88333 for the initial intraoperative cytologic site.
When are modifiers 26 and TC used?
Use modifier 26 for the pathologist’s interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service, including equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
How does 88334 differ from frozen-section codes 88331 and 88332?
88334 is for additional-site cytologic evaluation during surgery. Codes 88331 and 88332 report intraoperative examination of tissue blocks using frozen sections.
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
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