CPT code 88362: Nerve preparation, teased-fiber preparation2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $218.44 for 88362 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $196.71–$289.06.

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

What 88362 covers

A nerve teasing preparation separates peripheral nerve biopsy tissue into individual fibers so the pathologist can examine their structure microscopically. A surgical pathologist or neuropathologist typically performs or interprets this specialized work in a hospital pathology laboratory or reference laboratory. It is used when evaluation of individual nerve fibers is needed in a neuropathy workup, rather than for routine examination of tissue sections alone.

Report 88362 when the teasing preparation is performed. Documentation should identify the nerve specimen and support the specialized preparation and diagnostic evaluation. CMS recognizes a global service when billed without a modifier. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, while modifier TC identifies the technical work, including equipment and staff. The professional and technical portions have separate pricing under CMS.

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 88362 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

88362 rates by state

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

How the 88362 rate is calculated

Each of 88362’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 88362

The CMS indicators that decide how 88362 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

88362 compared with similar codes

How to choose

88356Nerve analysisQuantitative morphometry

Choose 88362 for the nerve teasing preparation. Choose 88356 when the service is morphometric analysis of nerve.

88305Tissue pathology examLevel IV specimen

88305 represents routine surgical pathology examination of a biopsy specimen; 88362 represents specialized teasing preparation of nerve fibers.

88348Electron microscopyDiagnostic tissue examination

88348 is for diagnostic electron microscopy. 88362 is for preparation of teased nerve fibers for microscopic evaluation.

Codes related to 88362

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

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