Other diagnostics

88305 - RVUs & Medicare payment (2026)

Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic exam, level IV.

Component	Non-facility	Facility
Work RVU	0.73	0.73
Practice expense RVU	1.35	1.35
Malpractice RVU	0.02	0.02
Total RVUs	2.10	2.10
National payment (CF $33.4009)	$70.14	$70.14
Qualifying APM payment (CF $33.5675)	$70.49	$70.49

How 88305 payment varies by locality

Medicare adjusts payment with geographic practice cost indices, so the same code pays differently across the 109 fee schedule localities. In 2026, non-facility payment for 88305 ranges from $63.46 in Arkansas (AR) to $92.44 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (CA); calculate 88305 for your locality.

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (CA) $92.44 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (CA) $92.35 San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (CA) $90.58 San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (CA) $90.56 Napa (CA) $85.69 Vallejo (CA) $85.66 Alaska (AK) $84.96 Seattle (WA) $81.47 National average $70.14 … 97 more localities between … Alabama (AL) $64.22 Rest Of Missouri (MO) $63.90 Mississippi (MS) $63.70 Arkansas (AR) $63.46

Non-facility payment for 88305 in the 2026 fee schedule ($33.4009 conversion factor), before sequestration. Gray bar = national average.

Global period: XXX

No global period: the global surgery concept does not apply to this code.

Professional / technical split

88305 can be billed globally or split: modifier 26 for the professional component (interpretation) and TC for the technical component (equipment and staff).

Billing	Total RVUs (non-facility)	National payment
88305-26	1.05	$35.07
88305-TC	1.05	$35.07

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Frequently asked questions

How much does Medicare pay for 88305 in 2026?

The national non-facility payment is $70.14 and the facility payment is $70.14, using the standard $33.4009 conversion factor. Actual amounts vary by Medicare locality; use the RVU calculator for your area.

What is the work RVU for 88305?

The 2026 work RVU for 88305 is 0.73. Total RVUs are 2.10 in the non-facility setting and 2.10 in the facility setting.

Why are the facility and non-facility amounts different?

Only the practice expense component changes by setting. In an office (non-facility) the practice bears the overhead, so the PE RVU is higher; in a hospital or ASC the facility bills its own overhead separately.

Source: CMS Physician Fee Schedule relative value file (rvu26c.zip, retrieved 2026-07-11). Service description is an original plain-English summary, not CPT descriptor text. CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. Amounts are estimates before sequestration and claim-level adjustments.