Billing code 88187: Flow cytometryMedicare rate & RVUs in Ohio
Report 88187 for the professional interpretation and written report of a flow-cytometry study evaluating 2 through 8 markers.
Medicare pays $34.21 for 88187 in the office in Ohio (Ohio). Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 9 sections
What 88187 covers
Code 88187 represents the professional interpretation and written report of a flow-cytometry study evaluating 2 through 8 markers. Hematopathologists commonly perform this work to characterize abnormal cell populations in peripheral blood, bone marrow, lymph-node specimens, or body-cavity fluids when evaluating suspected leukemia, lymphoma, or another hematologic disorder. The service is the analysis and report, not specimen collection or instrument acquisition.
Select the code level based on the number of markers evaluated in the interpretation: 2 through 8 for 88187. The report should identify the specimen, describe the flow-cytometry findings, and support the interpretation and marker count. CMS identifies 88187 as professional-component-only; the technical portion is reported separately using the applicable technical code or codes, such as 88184 for the first marker and 88185 for additional markers.
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.
88187 in Ohio
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $34.21 | $34.21 |
How the 88187 rate is calculated
Each of 88187’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 · 88187
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.72Practice expense 0.30Malpractice 0.03
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 88187
The CMS indicators that decide how 88187 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 88187
Flow cytometry
| 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 | 2 | Professional component only. |
88187 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
88187 vs 88184 vs 88188 vs 88189: national Medicare rates
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How to choose
- 88184Flow cytometry
- 88184 reports the technical work for the first marker. 88187 reports the professional interpretation and written report for a 2-through-8-marker study.
- 88188Flow cytometry
- Use 88188 when the professional interpretation evaluates 9 through 15 markers; 88187 covers 2 through 8.
- 88189Flow cytometry
- Use 88189 for a professional interpretation involving 16 or more markers; 88187 covers the 2-through-8-marker range.
88187 billing questions
How does 88187 differ from 88188?
88187 applies when the interpretation evaluates 2 through 8 markers. Use 88188 for an interpretation involving 9 through 15 markers.
How does 88187 differ from 88189?
88189 is the higher marker-count interpretation level, for 16 or more markers. Choose among these interpretation codes according to the marker count documented for the study.
Does 88187 include the technical flow-cytometry work?
No. 88187 represents the professional interpretation and report; the technical portion is separately coded, typically with 88184 and any applicable units of 88185.
Should modifier 26 be appended to 88187?
CMS identifies 88187 as a professional-component-only code, so the code itself represents the interpretation and report. Do not add modifier 26 solely to identify that component.
What documentation supports reporting 88187?
Document the specimen, markers evaluated, flow-cytometry findings, and the professional interpretation. The record should support that the interpretation falls within the 2-through-8-marker range.
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
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