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CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01

88331 in Chicago

Office / nonfacility

$99.05

Base rate per service

Facility setting

Not available in this setting

Base rate per service

Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.

Surgical pathology

About 88331: Intraoperative frozen-section consultation

Reports a pathologist’s intraoperative microscopic assessment of frozen tissue from a specimen, providing a rapid diagnosis to guide the surgeon’s immediate decisions.

A pathologist examines frozen tissue during surgery and communicates a rapid microscopic interpretation to the surgeon, often to assess a margin or clarify the nature of tissue before the operation proceeds. The service is performed in connection with an operation, with pathology staff preparing the frozen tissue and slides and the pathologist providing the interpretation. The assessment is for one specimen’s first tissue block.

Report this code for the first frozen-section block; report each additional block for that specimen with 88332. Documentation should identify the specimen and block, describe the intraoperative examination, and record the interpretation communicated to the surgical team. CMS recognizes separately priced professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff work, and an unmodified claim represents the global service.

CMS billing rules for 88331

Professional and technical components
Diagnostic test with a professional component (modifier 26, interpretation) and a technical component (modifier TC, equipment and staff); billing without a modifier is the global service.

Where the value comes from

  • Work RVU1.16 · 40%
  • Practice expense (office) RVU1.72 · 59%
  • Malpractice RVU0.03 · 1%

307.5K

Medicare services in 2024 · #304 by national volume

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.

88331 compared with similar codes

Office rates for Chicago, from the same CMS release.

88329

Pathology consult

Gross examination only

$54.13

88329 applies to an intraoperative consultation based on gross examination. Choose 88331 when the pathologist microscopically examines frozen tissue.

88332

Frozen section

Each additional tissue block

$54.61

88331 represents the first frozen-section block for a specimen. Use 88332 for each additional block, not as a substitute for the first-block service.

88333

Surgical cytology

Initial specimen

$89.99

88333 covers intraoperative cytologic examination, such as a touch preparation or squash preparation. 88331 is for microscopic examination of frozen tissue.

88305

Tissue pathology exam

Level IV specimen

$71.40

88305 is a definitive surgical pathology examination selected by specimen and service. 88331 is the rapid intraoperative frozen-section consultation.

The same code, a different location

How does Chicago compare?

In East St. Louis, the office rate for 88331 is $93.62—$5.43 lower than the $99.05 rate in Chicago. Both use the same code, release and participation basis.

88331 across payment areas

Same release and payment basis · bars start at $0

  1. Chicago · This locality

    $99.05

  2. East St. Louis

    $93.62

    $5.43 lower than Chicago

  3. Rest Of Illinois

    $92.76

    $6.29 lower than Chicago

  4. Suburban Chicago

    $99.79

    $0.74 higher than Chicago

  5. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty)

    $108.96

    $9.91 higher than Chicago

  6. Dc + Md/Va Suburbs

    $109.63

    $10.58 higher than Chicago

  7. Miami

    $101.08

    $2.03 higher than Chicago

Other payment areas listed in Illinois appear first, followed by selected cross-country examples. The chart compares amounts, not distance.

Across 109 of 109 CMS payment localities with a supported office rate, 88331 ranges from $88.61 in Arkansas to $126.39 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty). This is a geographic range, not an average.

The code’s RVUs stay the same in these comparisons. Geographic adjustments to work, practice expense and malpractice change the dollar amount. A city name alone may not identify the payment area for a service address.

Compare all 108 other payment areas

  • Manhattan

    New York · 88331

    Office

    $109.57

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $10.52 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Alaska*

    Alaska · 88331

    Office

    $119.85

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $20.80 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Alabama

    Alabama · 88331

    Office

    $89.58

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $9.47 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Arkansas

    Arkansas · 88331

    Office

    $88.61

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $10.44 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Arizona

    Arizona · 88331

    Office

    $95.27

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.78 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Bakersfield

    California · 88331

    Office

    $103.06

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $4.01 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Chico

    California · 88331

    Office

    $102.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.86 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • El Centro

    California · 88331

    Office

    $102.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.86 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Fresno

    California · 88331

    Office

    $102.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.86 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Hanford-Corcoran

    California · 88331

    Office

    $102.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.86 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Madera

    California · 88331

    Office

    $102.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.86 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Merced

    California · 88331

    Office

    $102.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.86 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Modesto

    California · 88331

    Office

    $102.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.86 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Napa

    California · 88331

    Office

    $117.41

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $18.36 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura

    California · 88331

    Office

    $108.36

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $9.31 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Redding

    California · 88331

    Office

    $102.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.86 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of California

    California · 88331

    Office

    $102.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.86 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

    California · 88331

    Office

    $103.26

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $4.21 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom

    California · 88331

    Office

    $107.49

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $8.44 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Salinas

    California · 88331

    Office

    $107.07

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $8.02 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad

    California · 88331

    Office

    $109.16

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $10.11 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty)

    California · 88331

    Office

    $123.89

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $24.84 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty)

    California · 88331

    Office

    $123.86

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $24.81 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)

    California · 88331

    Office

    $126.39

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $27.34 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty)

    California · 88331

    Office

    $126.25

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $27.20 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles

    California · 88331

    Office

    $105.38

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.33 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Santa Cruz-Watsonville

    California · 88331

    Office

    $109.90

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $10.85 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

    California · 88331

    Office

    $107.35

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $8.30 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Santa Rosa-Petaluma

    California · 88331

    Office

    $110.99

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $11.94 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Stockton

    California · 88331

    Office

    $102.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.86 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Vallejo

    California · 88331

    Office

    $117.36

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $18.31 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Visalia

    California · 88331

    Office

    $102.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.86 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Yuba City

    California · 88331

    Office

    $102.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.86 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Colorado

    Colorado · 88331

    Office

    $101.12

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $2.07 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Connecticut

    Connecticut · 88331

    Office

    $102.61

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.56 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Delaware

    Delaware · 88331

    Office

    $96.60

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $2.45 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Fort Lauderdale

    Florida · 88331

    Office

    $98.75

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $0.30 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Florida

    Florida · 88331

    Office

    $95.17

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.88 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Atlanta

    Georgia · 88331

    Office

    $98.43

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $0.62 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Georgia

    Georgia · 88331

    Office

    $91.18

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $7.87 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Hawaii, Guam

    Hawaii · 88331

    Office

    $104.65

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $5.60 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Iowa

    Iowa · 88331

    Office

    $91.71

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $7.34 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Idaho

    Idaho · 88331

    Office

    $92.07

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.98 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Indiana

    Indiana · 88331

    Office

    $92.49

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.56 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Kansas

    Kansas · 88331

    Office

    $91.18

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $7.87 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Kentucky

    Kentucky · 88331

    Office

    $90.73

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $8.32 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • New Orleans

    Louisiana · 88331

    Office

    $93.94

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $5.11 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Louisiana

    Louisiana · 88331

    Office

    $90.55

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $8.50 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Boston

    Massachusetts · 88331

    Office

    $109.82

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $10.77 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Massachusetts

    Massachusetts · 88331

    Office

    $100.66

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.61 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Baltimore/Surr. Cntys

    Maryland · 88331

    Office

    $102.25

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.20 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Maryland

    Maryland · 88331

    Office

    $98.19

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $0.86 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Maine

    Maine · 88331

    Office

    $92.22

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.83 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Southern Maine

    Maine · 88331

    Office

    $96.31

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $2.74 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Detroit

    Michigan · 88331

    Office

    $95.87

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.18 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Michigan

    Michigan · 88331

    Office

    $92.33

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.72 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Minnesota

    Minnesota · 88331

    Office

    $98.16

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $0.89 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Kansas City

    Missouri · 88331

    Office

    $93.67

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $5.38 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan St. Louis

    Missouri · 88331

    Office

    $94.44

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $4.61 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Missouri

    Missouri · 88331

    Office

    $89.24

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $9.81 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Mississippi

    Mississippi · 88331

    Office

    $88.95

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $10.10 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Montana**

    Montana · 88331

    Office

    $97.19

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.86 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • North Carolina

    North Carolina · 88331

    Office

    $92.99

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.06 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • North Dakota**

    North Dakota · 88331

    Office

    $96.60

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $2.45 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Nebraska

    Nebraska · 88331

    Office

    $92.15

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.90 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • New Hampshire

    New Hampshire · 88331

    Office

    $99.43

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $0.38 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Northern Nj

    New Jersey · 88331

    Office

    $108.90

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $9.85 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of New Jersey

    New Jersey · 88331

    Office

    $104.13

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $5.08 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • New Mexico

    New Mexico · 88331

    Office

    $92.63

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.42 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Nevada**

    Nevada · 88331

    Office

    $97.09

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.96 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Nyc Suburbs/Long Island

    New York · 88331

    Office

    $111.39

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $12.34 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs

    New York · 88331

    Office

    $104.61

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $5.56 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Queens

    New York · 88331

    Office

    $110.58

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $11.53 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of New York

    New York · 88331

    Office

    $94.03

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $5.02 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Ohio

    Ohio · 88331

    Office

    $92.21

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.84 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Oklahoma

    Oklahoma · 88331

    Office

    $90.83

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $8.22 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Portland

    Oregon · 88331

    Office

    $103.94

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $4.89 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Oregon

    Oregon · 88331

    Office

    $96.67

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $2.38 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Philadelphia

    Pennsylvania · 88331

    Office

    $100.44

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.39 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania · 88331

    Office

    $92.43

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.62 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Puerto Rico

    Puerto Rico · 88331

    Office

    $97.81

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.24 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rhode Island

    Rhode Island · 88331

    Office

    $99.72

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $0.67 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • South Carolina

    South Carolina · 88331

    Office

    $92.68

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.37 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • South Dakota**

    South Dakota · 88331

    Office

    $96.53

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $2.52 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Tennessee

    Tennessee · 88331

    Office

    $91.50

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $7.55 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Austin

    Texas · 88331

    Office

    $100.49

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.44 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Beaumont

    Texas · 88331

    Office

    $91.96

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $7.09 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Brazoria

    Texas · 88331

    Office

    $96.77

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $2.28 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Dallas

    Texas · 88331

    Office

    $97.17

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.88 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Fort Worth

    Texas · 88331

    Office

    $96.61

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $2.44 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Galveston

    Texas · 88331

    Office

    $96.93

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $2.12 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Houston

    Texas · 88331

    Office

    $97.48

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.57 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Texas

    Texas · 88331

    Office

    $94.17

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $4.88 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Utah

    Utah · 88331

    Office

    $93.65

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $5.40 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Virginia

    Virginia · 88331

    Office

    $95.93

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.12 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Virgin Islands

    United States Virgin Islands · 88331

    Office

    $97.81

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.24 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Vermont

    Vermont · 88331

    Office

    $96.13

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $2.92 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Washington

    Washington · 88331

    Office

    $100.51

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.46 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Seattle (King Cnty)

    Washington · 88331

    Office

    $111.99

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $12.94 higher than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Wisconsin

    Wisconsin · 88331

    Office

    $94.09

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $4.96 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • West Virginia

    West Virginia · 88331

    Office

    $90.10

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $8.95 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

  • Wyoming**

    Wyoming · 88331

    Office

    $96.94

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $2.11 lower than Chicago for the office setting.

See how rates vary across the country

88331 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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.

$88.61

$119.85

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View all state and territory rates as a table
State / territoryRate rangeLocalities
AK$119.851
AL$89.581
AR$88.611
AZ$95.271
CA$102.91–$126.3929
CO$101.121
CT$102.611
DC$109.631
DE$96.601
FL$95.17–$101.083
GA$91.18–$98.432
GU$104.651
HI$104.651
IA$91.711
ID$92.071
IL$92.76–$99.794
IN$92.491
KS$91.181
KY$90.731
LA$90.55–$93.942
MA$100.66–$109.822
MD$98.19–$109.633
ME$92.22–$96.312
MI$92.33–$95.872
MN$98.161
MO$89.24–$94.443
MS$88.951
MT$97.191
NC$92.991
ND$96.601
NE$92.151
NH$99.431
NJ$104.13–$108.902
NM$92.631
NV$97.091
NY$94.03–$111.395
OH$92.211
OK$90.831
OR$96.67–$103.942
PA$92.43–$100.442
PR$97.811
RI$99.721
SC$92.681
SD$96.531
TN$91.501
TX$91.96–$100.498
UT$93.651
VA$95.93–$109.632
VI$97.811
VT$96.131
WA$100.51–$111.992
WI$94.091
WV$90.101
WY$96.941

Explore 88331 on the national rate map →

Where does this rate apply?

Chicago is a Medicare payment area. Our Census mapping connects it to 137 cities and communities in Illinois, including the examples shown here.

Some communities span more than one payment area. Follow a city link to compare all of its mapped areas, or check the service-location ZIP above for an address-level starting point.

Browse all communities in Illinois →

Use this rate

What is a percentage of Medicare worth?

Turn a percentage into dollars for 88331 in Chicago. This uses the base rate on this page, so the locality and release stay consistent.

Reference amount per service

$108.96

$99.05 × 110% = $108.96

A contract may specify another Medicare year or additional adjustments. This is percentage arithmetic on the displayed base rate, not a claim adjudication.

Working with a whole code list?

Compare an offer across your annual code mix, including an older Medicare schedule or flat per-code rates.

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How this local rate is calculated

Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 88331 in Chicago.

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

11,236

Code
88331
Physician work
1.16
Practice expense
1.72
Malpractice
0.03

GPCI2026.csv

48

Locality
Chicago
Physician work
1.007
Practice expense
1.005
Malpractice
2.295
Office / nonfacility calculation for 88331 in Chicago
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work1.16× 1.0071.1681
Practice expense1.72× 1.0051.7286
Malpractice0.03× 2.2950.0688
Total RVUs2.9656
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office / nonfacility rate, Chicago$99.05

Values as parsed from CMS release RVU26D, effective 2026-10-01. The amount is rounded to the nearest cent only at the end.

Open 88331 in the RVU calculator →

Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula

Office / nonfacility

Office / nonfacility calculation inputs
ComponentRVULocal GPCI
Work1.161.007
Practice expense1.721.005
Malpractice0.032.295

(1.16 × 1.007 + 1.72 × 1.005 + 0.03 × 2.295) × $33.4009 = $99.05

The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.

How this rate has changed

88331 · Office / nonfacility

$99.05

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $1.23 lower than on 2025-10-01, moving from $100.28 to $99.05 (1.2%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release

  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $100.28changed to$99.05

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 1.19 changed to 1.16
    • Practice expense RVU 1.80 changed to 1.72
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.023 changed to 1.005
    • Malpractice GPCI 2.018 changed to 2.295

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    Earliest loaded release: $100.28

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

Explore release dates and calculate this code in an earlier period →

Each row uses the accepted CMS release effective on that date and the same contractor and locality identifiers. Missing rates stay visible. Historical boundaries may differ; verify the service address for an older claim.

Inspect every release and its CMS source
Effective fromOffice / nonfacilityFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$99.05Not available in this settingRVU26D
2026-07-01$99.05Not available in this settingRVU26C
2026-04-01$99.05Not available in this settingRVU26B
2026-01-01$99.05Not available in this settingRVU26A
2025-10-01$100.28Not available in this settingRVU25D
2025-07-01$100.28Not available in this settingRVU25C
2025-04-01$100.28Not available in this settingRVU25B
2025-01-01$100.28Not available in this settingRVU25A

88331 billing questions

When is 88331 chosen instead of 88329?

Use 88331 when the intraoperative consultation includes microscopic examination of frozen tissue. Code 88329 is for an intraoperative pathology consultation based on gross examination.

How are additional frozen-section blocks reported?

Report 88331 for the first block for a specimen and 88332 for each additional block. The record should support the blocks actually examined.

Can 88331 be billed with modifier 26 or TC?

Yes. Modifier 26 represents the pathologist’s interpretation, while TC represents the technical work, including equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.

How does 88331 differ from 88333?

88331 reports microscopic examination of frozen tissue. Code 88333 is for an intraoperative cytologic examination, such as a touch preparation or squash preparation.

Can a definitive surgical pathology examination also be reported?

A definitive examination of the specimen may follow the intraoperative frozen-section assessment. Select the surgical pathology code, such as 88305, based on the specimen and the work performed for that examination.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.

Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.

RVUs for 88331PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 11,236 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for ChicagoGPCI2026.csv, line 48 (RVU26D)
Open CMS sourceHow this rate is calculatedBuild a fee sheet