Billing code 88307: Tissue pathology examMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $277.90 for 88307 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $245.21–$381.42.

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

What 88307 covers

This service covers gross and microscopic examination of a specimen assigned to Level V surgical pathology. Level V includes certain biopsies as well as excisions and resections. Examples include needle or wedge liver biopsies, cervical conization, breast lesion excisions, simple mastectomy, thyroid lobectomy, transurethral resection of a bladder tumor, and lung wedge biopsy. The work is performed in hospital pathology departments and independent laboratories, with a pathologist issuing a signed diagnostic report.

Report one unit for each distinct specimen assigned to Level V, not for each tissue fragment, block, or slide. Select the level from the billing code specimen classification; the report should identify the specimen and document the gross and microscopic findings. CMS prices professional and technical components separately: modifier 26 identifies the pathologist's interpretation and report, and modifier TC identifies laboratory preparation and support. Report the global service without a modifier when one entity provides both components. When separately indicated and documented, additional services such as special stains, immunohistochemistry, decalcification, or intraoperative frozen-section consultation may be reported with the final examination.

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 88307 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

88307 rates by state

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

How the 88307 rate is calculated

Each of 88307’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 88307

The CMS indicators that decide how 88307 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

88307 compared with similar codes

How to choose

88305Tissue pathology exam

88305 is Level IV and includes specimens such as prostate needle biopsies. Use 88307 for specimens billing code assigns to Level V, such as liver biopsy or breast lesion excision.

88309Tissue pathology

88309 is Level VI and includes colon segmental resection for tumor. Select 88307 or 88309 from the specific specimen classification, rather than tumor diagnosis alone.

88331Frozen section

88331 reports an intraoperative frozen-section consultation; 88307 reports the final gross and microscopic examination. Both may be reported for the same specimen.

88321Slide consultation

88321 is a consultation on slides prepared elsewhere; 88307 covers the gross and microscopic examination of a submitted tissue specimen.

Codes related to 88307

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