$72.93
Use 88312 for a histochemical stain intended to identify microorganisms. Use 88313 when the stain evaluates a non-organism feature, such as iron deposits or tissue fibers; the purpose matters for stains such as PAS.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
88312 Special stain Medicare reimbursement rates in Oklahoma
Report a Group I histochemical stain for each stain performed on a specimen to help identify microorganisms in tissue, with interpretation and a report. Compare 88312 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Oklahoma.
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 88312 in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$99.61
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Oklahoma
One mapped payment locality.
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 88312: Group I special stain for microorganisms
Report a Group I histochemical stain for each stain performed on a specimen to help identify microorganisms in tissue, with interpretation and a report.
A Group I special stain helps a pathologist identify microorganisms in tissue when routine H&E examination is insufficient. Examples include Gram stain for bacteria, acid-fast stains for mycobacteria, and GMS for fungi. Giemsa or Warthin-Starry may be used to evaluate a gastric biopsy for Helicobacter pylori. Histology staff prepare the stained sections, and a pathologist interprets and reports the findings, commonly alongside a surgical pathology examination. The work may be performed in an independent laboratory or hospital pathology department.
Report one unit for each stain on each separate specimen, rather than for each block, section, or slide. Additional slides or repeats of the same stain on the same specimen do not create additional units. Documentation should identify the specimen, each stain performed, and its interpretation. Modifier TC identifies the staining work, including staff, supplies, and equipment; modifier 26 identifies the pathologist's interpretation. When one billing entity provides both components, report the global service without either component modifier.
CMS billing rules for 88312
- 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 RVU0.53 · 16%
- Practice expense (office) RVU2.72 · 83%
- Malpractice RVU0.03 · 1%
1.4M
Medicare services in 2024 · #111 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.
88312 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Oklahoma, from the same CMS release.
$100.78
88342 reports immunohistochemical staining with a first antibody, which may detect an organism antigen. 88312 reports a histochemical stain for microorganisms without an antibody.
$65.17
88305 reports the surgical pathology examination of a qualifying specimen, such as a gastric biopsy. A separately performed and interpreted Group I organism stain on that specimen is reported with 88312.
Compare 88312 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.
1 of 1 payment localities
Oklahoma →
Office / nonfacility
$99.61
Facility
Unavailable
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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 88312 in Oklahoma.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
11,218
- Code
- 88312
- Physician work
- 0.53
- Practice expense
- 2.72
- Malpractice
- 0.03
GPCI2026.csv
86
- Locality
- Oklahoma
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.893
- Malpractice
- 0.777
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 0.53 | × 1.000 | 0.5300 |
| Practice expense | 2.72 | × 0.893 | 2.4290 |
| Malpractice | 0.03 | × 0.777 | 0.0233 |
| Total RVUs | 2.9823 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Office / nonfacility rate, Oklahoma$99.61
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Office / nonfacility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 0.53 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 2.72 | 0.893 |
| Malpractice | 0.03 | 0.777 |
(0.53 × 1 + 2.72 × 0.893 + 0.03 × 0.777) × $33.4009 = $99.61
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.
88312 billing questions
How many units are reported when one stain is applied to several blocks from the same specimen?
Report one unit for that stain on that specimen. Additional blocks or slides bearing the same stain do not add units.
How do I choose between 88312 and 88313?
Choose 88312 for a histochemical stain used to identify microorganisms, such as an acid-fast stain or GMS for fungi. Choose 88313 for stains directed at non-organism tissue features, such as iron or reticulin.
Is a distinct-specimen modifier required when the same stain is performed on two specimens?
Report a unit for each separate specimen. Do not append modifier 59 or XS solely because there are two specimens; use a distinct-service modifier only when needed to identify separate work under an applicable edit.
When are modifiers 26 and TC used?
The pathologist billing only the interpretation uses modifier 26; the entity billing only the staining work uses modifier TC. An entity billing both components reports the global service without either modifier.
Is routine H&E staining separately reported with 88312?
No. Routine H&E staining used for microscopic surgical pathology examination is included in that examination. Report 88312 for a separately performed, interpreted Group I special stain.
Does a PAS stain always qualify for 88312?
No. PAS used to look for fungi is a Group I organism stain; PAS used to evaluate a noninfectious feature, such as glycogen or basement membranes, is reported with 88313.
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.
11,21588311,,Decalcify tissue,A,,0.23,0.34,,0.34,NA,0.02,0.59,0.59,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,21688311,26,Decalcify tissue,A,,0.23,0.10,,0.10,,0.01,0.34,0.34,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,21788311,TC,Decalcify tissue,A,,0.00,0.24,,0.24,NA,0.01,0.25,0.25,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,21888312,,Special stains group 1,A,,0.53,2.72,,2.72,NA,0.03,3.28,3.28,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,21988312,26,Special stains group 1,A,,0.53,0.21,,0.21,,0.01,0.75,0.75,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,22088312,TC,Special stains group 1,A,,0.00,2.51,,2.51,NA,0.02,2.53,2.53,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,22188313,,Special stains group 2,A,,0.23,2.17,,2.17,NA,0.02,2.42,2.42,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
8311502,NC,00,NORTH CAROLINA,1.000,0.933,0.639
8403302,ND,01,NORTH DAKOTA**,1.000,1.000,0.406
8515202,OH,00,OHIO,1.000,0.913,1.008
8604312,OK,00,OKLAHOMA,1.000,0.893,0.777
8702302,OR,01,PORTLAND,1.016,1.111,0.744
8802302,OR,99,REST OF OREGON,1.000,0.996,0.703
8912502,PA,01,METROPOLITAN PHILADELPHIA,1.018,1.041,1.193