2025 CPT code 88307
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Pathology and Laboratory - Surgical Pathology Feed
Level V surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examination.
Modifiers may be applicable. Modifier 26 is used for the professional component and modifier TC is used for the technical component.
Medical necessity is established by the clinical indication for the surgical procedure that resulted in the specimen being sent for pathologic examination.
The pathologist receives the specimen, accessions it, performs gross and microscopic examination, and prepares a report with diagnosis.
In simple words: A pathologist examines a tissue sample by eye and under a microscope to diagnose a condition. This is a level V examination, indicating a moderate level of complexity.
Level V - Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examination. Includes accessioning, gross and microscopic examination, and reporting. Examples of specimens include: Adrenal, resection; Bone - biopsy/curettings; Bone fragment(s), pathologic fracture; Brain, biopsy; Brain/meninges, tumor resection; Breast, excision of lesion, requiring microscopic evaluation of surgical margins; Breast, mastectomy - partial/simple; Cervix, conization; Colon, segmental resection, other than for tumor; Extremity, amputation, non-traumatic; Eye, enucleation; Kidney, partial/total nephrectomy; Larynx, partial/total resection; Liver, biopsy - needle/wedge; Liver, partial resection; Lung, wedge biopsy; Lymph nodes, regional resection; Mediastinum, mass; Myocardium, biopsy; Odontogenic tumor; Ovary with or without tube, neoplastic; Pancreas, biopsy; Placenta, third trimester; Prostate, except radical resection; Salivary gland; Sentinel lymph node; Small intestine, resection, other than for tumor; Soft tissue mass (except lipoma) - biopsy/simple excision; Stomach - subtotal/total resection, other than for tumor; Testis, biopsy; Thymus, tumor; Thyroid, total/lobe; Ureter, resection; Urinary bladder, TUR; Uterus, with or without tubes and ovaries, other than neoplastic/prolapse.
Example 1: A patient undergoes a partial mastectomy. The excised breast tissue is sent to pathology for gross and microscopic evaluation of margins and determination of the presence or absence of malignancy. 88307 is reported., A patient has a thyroid lobectomy. The specimen is submitted for gross and microscopic examination to determine if the lesion is cancerous. 88307 is reported., A patient has a wedge resection of the lung. The tissue is submitted for gross and microscopic examination. 88307 is reported.
The pathology report should document the specimen(s) received, the gross and microscopic findings, and the diagnosis. Documentation of margin status (if applicable) is crucial for proper code assignment.
- Revenue Code: T1G - LAB TESTS - OTHER (MEDICARE FEE SCHEDULE)
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: Modifier TC can be reported separately if billing for the technical component of preparing digitized slides (0754T) of the glass microscope slides.
- Specialties:Pathology
- Place of Service:"Independent Laboratory", "Office", "Outpatient Hospital"