CPT code 88361: Tumor immunohistochemistry, computer-assisted analysis2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maryland
Report this service when tumor immunohistochemical staining is evaluated quantitatively or semiquantitatively with computer-assisted analysis, such as for breast cancer biomarkers.
Medicare pays $115.81–$131.06 for 88361 in the office in Maryland, from Rest of Maryland to Washington, DC area. 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.
Your location
On this page 9 sections
What 88361 covers
A pathology laboratory uses computer-assisted image analysis to quantify or semiquantify immunohistochemical staining in a tumor specimen. A pathologist interprets the findings in clinical contexts such as assessing estrogen or progesterone receptor expression, or HER2 staining in breast carcinoma. The service may be performed on tissue from a biopsy or resection in a hospital or independent pathology laboratory.
Select this code when the tumor immunohistochemical analysis uses computer-assisted technology; the manual-analysis counterpart is 88360. Report it per specimen, supported by documentation identifying the specimen, marker or markers evaluated, computerized method, and interpreted results. CMS recognizes a professional component for interpretation and a technical component for laboratory equipment and staff. Bill with modifier 26 for the professional portion or modifier TC for the technical portion; without either modifier, the 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 88361 pays more and less in Maryland
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$115.81 to $131.06
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore area, MD | $121.27 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Maryland | $115.81 | Unavailable |
| Washington, DC area | $131.06 | Unavailable |
How the 88361 rate is calculated
Each of 88361’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 · 88361
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.93
0.93 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.48
2.48 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
3.4300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$114.57
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 88361
The CMS indicators that decide how 88361 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 88361
Tumor immunohistochemistry, computer-assisted analysis
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| 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
88361 without 26 · national office
$114.57
Tumor immunohistochemistry, computer-assisted analysis
88361-26 · Professional component
$40.42
Pays only the interpretation and report.
88361 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 88360Tumor IHC scoringManual quantitative, per antibody
- Both cover quantitative or semiquantitative tumor immunohistochemical analysis. Choose 88361 for computer-assisted analysis and 88360 for manual analysis.
- 88342Antibody stainFirst single antibody per specimen
- 88342 represents the first antibody stain procedure. 88361 represents computer-assisted quantitative or semiquantitative analysis of tumor immunohistochemical staining.
- 88358Tumor analysisManual morphometry
- 88358 covers tumor morphometric analysis by methods such as DNA ploidy assessment; 88361 is specifically for computer-assisted tumor immunohistochemical analysis.
88361 billing questions
When should 88361 be chosen over 88360?
Use 88361 when tumor immunohistochemical staining is evaluated with computer-assisted quantitative or semiquantitative analysis. Use 88360 when the analysis is performed manually.
Is the unit based on each stain or each specimen?
The code is reported per specimen. Document the specimen and the markers analyzed; do not substitute a stain-count basis for the stated per-specimen unit.
Can the professional and technical portions be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the pathologist's interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical work, equipment, and staff. Without either modifier, the claim is for the global service.
What documentation supports reporting 88361?
Record the tumor specimen, the immunohistochemical marker or markers assessed, that computer-assisted analysis was used, and the pathologist's interpretation.
Should 88342 or 88344 also be reported for the same analysis?
These codes describe antibody stain procedures, while 88361 describes computer-assisted quantitative or semiquantitative tumor immunohistochemical analysis. Distinguish the services by the work actually performed and documented.
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
Fee sheets
Put 88361 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.
Build my fee sheet