$62.74–$66.61
88104 is for direct smears. Choose 88106 when the non-gynecologic specimen is prepared using filtration.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
88104 Fluid cytology Medicare reimbursement rates in Maine
Reports cytologic examination and interpretation of direct smears made from non-gynecologic fluids, washings, or brushings, such as pleural fluid or bronchial washings. Compare 88104 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Maine.
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.
What does Medicare pay for 88104 in Maine?
Maine has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$78.61–$83.22
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
Facility setting
No supported rate
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Cytopathology
About 88104: Non-gynecologic fluid smear with interpretation
Reports cytologic examination and interpretation of direct smears made from non-gynecologic fluids, washings, or brushings, such as pleural fluid or bronchial washings.
This service covers cytologic examination of direct smears prepared from non-gynecologic fluids, washings, or brushings. Examples include pleural or peritoneal fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, and bronchial washings or brushings. Laboratory staff prepare and stain the slides, and a cytopathologist or other qualified physician examines the cells and provides the interpretation. The findings may help evaluate a specimen for malignant or other abnormal cells.
Choose this code when the specimen is examined as a smear rather than processed by a filtration, concentration, or cellular-enhancement method. The report should identify the specimen source and include the cytologic findings and physician interpretation. Medicare recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff work. Reporting without either modifier represents the combined service.
CMS billing rules for 88104
- 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 RVU0.55 · 22%
- Practice expense (office) RVU1.94 · 77%
- Malpractice RVU0.03 · 1%
27.6K
Medicare services in 2024 · #1003 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.
88104 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Maine, from the same CMS release.
$64.25–$68.08
88104 covers direct-smear preparation; 88108 is used when a concentration technique is used to prepare the specimen.
$61.50–$64.80
Use 88112 for a non-gynecologic specimen prepared with a selective cellular-enhancement method, rather than as a direct smear.
Compare 88104 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
2 of 2 payment localities
Rest Of Maine →
Office / nonfacility
$78.61
Facility
Unavailable
Southern Maine →
Office / nonfacility
$83.22
Facility
Unavailable
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88104 billing questions
When should 88104 be chosen instead of 88108?
Use 88104 for a direct smear of a non-gynecologic fluid, washing, or brushing. Use 88108 when the specimen is processed using a concentration technique.
Does 88104 include the physician's interpretation?
Yes. The service includes interpretation; modifier 26 reports the professional component alone, while modifier TC reports the technical component alone.
What does the technical component cover?
The technical component represents the equipment and staff work involved in the service. Modifier TC identifies that portion.
Can 88104 be reported for a cervical or vaginal smear?
No. This code is for non-gynecologic fluid, washing, or brushing smears; cervical and vaginal cytology uses the applicable gynecologic cytopathology code.
What specimen details should the report include?
Document the source and type of specimen, the smear preparation, and the cytologic findings with the physician's interpretation.
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.
11,10088040,,Forensic autopsy (necropsy),N,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,10188045,,Coroners autopsy (necropsy),N,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,10288099,,Unlisted necropsy (autopsy),N,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,10388104,,Cytopath fl nongyn smears,A,,0.55,1.94,,1.94,NA,0.03,2.52,2.52,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,10488104,26,Cytopath fl nongyn smears,A,,0.55,0.24,,0.24,,0.01,0.80,0.80,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,10588104,TC,Cytopath fl nongyn smears,A,,0.00,1.70,,1.70,NA,0.02,1.72,1.72,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,10688106,,Cytopath fl nongyn filter,A,,0.36,1.63,,1.63,NA,0.03,2.02,2.02,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00