CPT code 88311: Tissue decalcification2026 Medicare rate & RVUs
Reports laboratory decalcification that removes mineral from bone or other calcified tissue so the specimen can be sectioned for microscopic examination.
Medicare pays $19.71 for 88311 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $17.78–$25.26.
Medicare rate · 88311
Tissue decalcification
- Work RVUs
- 0.23
- Total RVUs
- 0.59
- Global days
- XXX
National rate · 2026
$19.71
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
See every locality for 88311 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
On this page 10 sections
What 88311 covers
A histology laboratory decalcifies bone and other calcified tissue by removing mineral that would prevent the specimen from being cut into thin sections. This preparation may be needed for a bone biopsy, a bone-containing tumor specimen, or another calcified tissue sample before microscopic evaluation. Laboratory personnel generally perform the processing; a pathologist interprets the resulting tissue examination as part of the diagnostic workup.
Report 88311 when decalcification is performed, alongside the applicable surgical pathology examination when that specimen is also examined. The record should identify the specimen and support why decalcification was needed; the pathology report documents the diagnostic examination. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, modifier TC identifies the technical work, and billing without either modifier represents the global service. The professional and technical components are separately priced.
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 88311 pays more and less
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
109 payment localities
$17.78 to $25.26
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $18.00 | Unavailable |
| Alaska* | $23.99 | Unavailable |
| Arizona | $19.26 | Unavailable |
| Arkansas | $17.78 | Unavailable |
| Atlanta | $20.05 | Unavailable |
| Austin | $20.30 | Unavailable |
| Bakersfield | $20.68 | Unavailable |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | $20.82 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont | $18.64 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria | $19.52 | Unavailable |
| Chicago | $20.68 | Unavailable |
| Chico | $20.62 | Unavailable |
| Colorado | $20.38 | Unavailable |
| Connecticut | $20.87 | Unavailable |
| Dallas | $19.64 | Unavailable |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | $22.22 | Unavailable |
| Delaware | $19.54 | Unavailable |
| Detroit | $19.77 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | $19.48 | Unavailable |
| El Centro | $20.62 | Unavailable |
| Fort Lauderdale | $20.39 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | $19.53 | Unavailable |
| Fresno | $20.62 | Unavailable |
| Galveston | $19.57 | Unavailable |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $20.62 | Unavailable |
| Hawaii, Guam | $20.98 | Unavailable |
| Houston | $19.94 | Unavailable |
| Idaho | $18.45 | Unavailable |
| Indiana | $18.53 | Unavailable |
| Iowa | $18.34 | Unavailable |
| Kansas | $18.28 | Unavailable |
| Kentucky | $18.39 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | $21.88 | Unavailable |
| Madera | $20.62 | Unavailable |
| Manhattan | $22.43 | Unavailable |
| Merced | $20.62 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Boston | $22.15 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | $19.00 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | $20.44 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | $19.16 | Unavailable |
| Miami | $21.19 | Unavailable |
| Minnesota | $19.57 | Unavailable |
| Mississippi | $17.95 | Unavailable |
| Modesto | $20.62 | Unavailable |
| Montana** | $19.71 | Unavailable |
| Napa | $23.47 | Unavailable |
| Nebraska | $18.42 | Unavailable |
| Nevada** | $19.61 | Unavailable |
| New Hampshire | $20.09 | Unavailable |
| New Mexico | $18.90 | Unavailable |
| New Orleans | $19.13 | Unavailable |
| North Carolina | $18.70 | Unavailable |
| North Dakota** | $19.31 | Unavailable |
| Northern Nj | $22.05 | Unavailable |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | $22.92 | Unavailable |
| Ohio | $18.72 | Unavailable |
| Oklahoma | $18.34 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $21.74 | Unavailable |
| Portland | $20.92 | Unavailable |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | $21.27 | Unavailable |
| Puerto Rico | $19.82 | Unavailable |
| Queens | $22.56 | Unavailable |
| Redding | $20.62 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of California | $20.62 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Florida | $19.54 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Georgia | $18.61 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | $19.09 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Louisiana | $18.37 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maine | $18.55 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maryland | $19.86 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $20.30 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Michigan | $18.80 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Missouri | $18.12 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New Jersey | $21.12 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New York | $18.94 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Oregon | $19.46 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | $18.74 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | $19.06 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Washington | $20.25 | Unavailable |
| Rhode Island | $20.16 | Unavailable |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $20.84 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $21.52 | Unavailable |
| Salinas | $21.44 | Unavailable |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $21.86 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | $24.73 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | $24.71 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | $25.26 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | $25.17 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $21.11 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $22.00 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $21.50 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $22.22 | Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $22.55 | Unavailable |
| South Carolina | $18.74 | Unavailable |
| South Dakota** | $19.26 | Unavailable |
| Southern Maine | $19.36 | Unavailable |
| Stockton | $20.62 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | $20.58 | Unavailable |
| Tennessee | $18.36 | Unavailable |
| Utah | $18.96 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo | $23.44 | Unavailable |
| Vermont | $19.26 | Unavailable |
| Virgin Islands | $19.82 | Unavailable |
| Virginia | $19.32 | Unavailable |
| Visalia | $20.62 | Unavailable |
| West Virginia | $18.51 | Unavailable |
| Wisconsin | $18.77 | Unavailable |
| Wyoming** | $19.53 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City | $20.62 | Unavailable |
88311 rates by state
Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.
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.
$17.78
$23.99
Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.
View every state and territory as a table
| State / territory | Office rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | $23.99 | 1 |
| AL | $18.00 | 1 |
| AR | $17.78 | 1 |
| AZ | $19.26 | 1 |
| CA | $20.62–$25.26 | 29 |
| CO | $20.38 | 1 |
| CT | $20.87 | 1 |
| DC | $22.22 | 1 |
| DE | $19.54 | 1 |
| FL | $19.54–$21.19 | 3 |
| GA | $18.61–$20.05 | 2 |
| GU | $20.98 | 1 |
| HI | $20.98 | 1 |
| IA | $18.34 | 1 |
| ID | $18.45 | 1 |
| IL | $19.09–$20.68 | 4 |
| IN | $18.53 | 1 |
| KS | $18.28 | 1 |
| KY | $18.39 | 1 |
| LA | $18.37–$19.13 | 2 |
| MA | $20.30–$22.15 | 2 |
| MD | $19.86–$22.22 | 3 |
| ME | $18.55–$19.36 | 2 |
| MI | $18.80–$19.77 | 2 |
| MN | $19.57 | 1 |
| MO | $18.12–$19.16 | 3 |
| MS | $17.95 | 1 |
| MT | $19.71 | 1 |
| NC | $18.70 | 1 |
| ND | $19.31 | 1 |
| NE | $18.42 | 1 |
| NH | $20.09 | 1 |
| NJ | $21.12–$22.05 | 2 |
| NM | $18.90 | 1 |
| NV | $19.61 | 1 |
| NY | $18.94–$22.92 | 5 |
| OH | $18.72 | 1 |
| OK | $18.34 | 1 |
| OR | $19.46–$20.92 | 2 |
| PA | $18.74–$20.44 | 2 |
| PR | $19.82 | 1 |
| RI | $20.16 | 1 |
| SC | $18.74 | 1 |
| SD | $19.26 | 1 |
| TN | $18.36 | 1 |
| TX | $18.64–$20.30 | 8 |
| UT | $18.96 | 1 |
| VA | $19.32–$22.22 | 2 |
| VI | $19.82 | 1 |
| VT | $19.26 | 1 |
| WA | $20.25–$22.55 | 2 |
| WI | $18.77 | 1 |
| WV | $18.51 | 1 |
| WY | $19.53 | 1 |
How the 88311 rate is calculated
Each of 88311’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 · 88311
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.23
0.23 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.34
0.34 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.5900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$19.71
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 88311
The CMS indicators that decide how 88311 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 88311
Tissue decalcification
| 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
88311 without 26 · national office
$19.71
Tissue decalcification
88311-26 · Professional component
$11.36
Pays only the interpretation and report.
88311 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 88305Tissue pathology exam
- 88305 reports a surgical pathology examination at its specimen level; 88311 reports the separate decalcification preparation.
- 88307Tissue pathology exam
- 88307 represents a level V surgical pathology examination, not the mineral-removal process used to prepare calcified tissue.
- 88312Special stain
- 88312 reports a special stain procedure. Use 88311 for decalcification, which prepares tissue by removing mineral rather than applying a stain.
88311 billing questions
Is 88311 the surgical pathology examination of the specimen?
No. It reports decalcification preparation; the surgical pathology code represents the examination and diagnostic work on the specimen.
Can 88311 be reported with a surgical pathology code?
Yes, when decalcification is performed and the same specimen also receives a surgical pathology examination. Select the examination code for the specimen and service documented.
Which modifier identifies the pathologist's work?
Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation. Modifier TC identifies the technical work, and no modifier represents the global service.
What should the record support?
Document the tissue specimen, the decalcification performed, and the associated microscopic examination when one is reported. The pathology report should support the diagnostic work.
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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