$16.96–$18.93
88300 is limited to gross examination. Use 88302 when the Level II specimen receives the corresponding gross and microscopic pathology examination.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
88302 Tissue pathology Medicare reimbursement rates in Massachusetts
Report this code for a pathologist’s gross and microscopic examination of a CPT-defined Level II specimen, such as a hernia sac or skin tag. Compare 88302 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Massachusetts.
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 88302 in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts 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
$33.78–$37.82
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.
Surgical pathology
About 88302: Level II surgical pathology examination
Report this code for a pathologist’s gross and microscopic examination of a CPT-defined Level II specimen, such as a hernia sac or skin tag.
A pathologist examines tissue submitted after a procedure, evaluating its gross appearance and preparing and reviewing sections microscopically before issuing a diagnostic report. Typical Level II submissions include a hernia sac, skin tags, a newborn’s foreskin, or a vas deferens removed for sterilization. Surgeons and other procedural clinicians collect the tissue; pathology laboratories perform the examination for hospital and outpatient cases.
Choose the level from the specimen type and procedure under the surgical pathology code family, not from how involved the diagnosis seems. The pathology report should identify the specimen and its source and document the examination and findings. Report the service per specimen, rather than per slide or tissue block. CMS separately prices the professional interpretation with modifier 26 and the technical work, including equipment and staff, with modifier TC; billing without either modifier represents the global service.
CMS billing rules for 88302
- 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 RVU0.13 · 13%
- Practice expense (office) RVU0.82 · 85%
- Malpractice RVU0.02 · 2%
55K
Medicare services in 2024 · #747 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.
88302 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Massachusetts, from the same CMS release.
$42.83–$47.78
Both are surgical pathology levels, but the applicable code is determined by the specimen category and procedure. Do not move a Level II specimen to 88304 based only on perceived complexity.
$72.79–$79.82
88305 represents a different specimen level in the same family. Follow the code family’s specimen assignment rather than selecting it simply because the pathologist’s work seems more extensive.
Compare 88302 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
Metropolitan Boston →
Office / nonfacility
$37.82
Facility
Unavailable
Rest Of Massachusetts →
Office / nonfacility
$33.78
Facility
Unavailable
Need rates for a whole code list?
Fee-sheet and API access are in early access. Tell us which codes and locations your team needs.
88302 billing questions
How does 88302 differ from 88300?
88302 represents a Level II specimen examined grossly and microscopically. 88300 is for a surgical pathology examination limited to gross evaluation.
How is 88302 distinguished from 88304 or 88305?
These codes represent different specimen levels in the surgical pathology family. Select the level assigned to the specimen type and procedure rather than choosing based on perceived diagnostic complexity.
Can the professional and technical portions be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the pathologist’s professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical portion; billing without either modifier represents the global service.
How many units should be reported for multiple slides or blocks?
The service is reported per specimen, not per slide or tissue block. Use the submitted specimen and its assigned level to determine the code and units.
What documentation supports reporting 88302?
The pathology record should identify the specimen and source and include the pathologist’s examination and findings. The specimen type and procedure should support Level II selection.
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.
11,19788300,,Surgical path gross,A,,0.08,0.39,,0.39,NA,0.02,0.49,0.49,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,19888300,26,Surgical path gross,A,,0.08,0.04,,0.04,,0.01,0.13,0.13,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,19988300,TC,Surgical path gross,A,,0.00,0.35,,0.35,NA,0.01,0.36,0.36,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,20088302,,Tissue exam by pathologist,A,,0.13,0.82,,0.82,NA,0.02,0.97,0.97,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,20188302,26,Tissue exam by pathologist,A,,0.13,0.06,,0.06,,0.01,0.20,0.20,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,20288302,TC,Tissue exam by pathologist,A,,0.00,0.76,,0.76,NA,0.01,0.77,0.77,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,20388304,,Tissue exam by pathologist,A,,0.21,1.00,,1.00,NA,0.02,1.23,1.23,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00