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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesSurgical Pathology ProceduresCPT cpt-88302-surgical-pathology-level-ii-gross-and-microscopic-examination
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    CPT 88302: Surgical Pathology, Level II Gross and Microscopic Exam

    Medicare pays $23 and commercial payers pay $38 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 88302 describes a Level II surgical pathology service in which a pathologist performs accessioning of a surgical specimen, examines its gross and microscopic features, and reports findings; this service is typically provided as diagnostic surgical pathology in an anatomic pathology laboratory or hospital pathology department rather than at a clinic or bedside.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Destruction of Pre-Malignant Skin Lesions, Onychomycosis diagnostic testing and coverage, Treatment of Capillary Malformations (Port Wine Stains).

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    National Reimbursement Benchmarks

    Medicare’s mean rate for CPT 88302 sits at $22.50, while BUCA’s mean for commercial contracts is higher at $38.40, indicating BUCA pays about $15.90 more on average than Medicare for this service. Blue Cross Blue Shield’s mean of $49.10 and Cigna’s mean of $25.70 bracket these values, with Aetna and UnitedHealth Group clustered closer to Medicare’s mean near $23–$23. Aetna’s mean is $23.70 and UnitedHealth Group’s mean is $22.90, reinforcing Medicare’s role as the lower-anchor for several payers.

    Dispersion measured as P75 minus P25 varies noticeably: Blue Cross Blue Shield shows the widest interquartile spread at $23.80 ($59.00 - $35.20), followed by BUCA at $22.00 ($48.00 - $24.80). UnitedHealth Group’s spread is $18.30 ($29.80 - $11.50). Aetna and Cigna exhibit tighter spreads of $20.00 ($31.00 - $10.50) and $28.50 ($39.00 - $10.50) respectively, though Cigna’s is wider than Aetna’s. Overall, Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA demonstrate the largest variability, while Aetna and UnitedHealth Group are relatively tighter.

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    National Payer Mean Reimbursement Rates

    State Reimbursement Rates

    State: Alaska1 / 51

    Rate by payer

    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 58-year-old patient presents to a dermatologic surgery clinic with a 1.2 cm irregular pigmented lesion on the forearm that was clinically suspicious for malignancy. The lesion is surgically excised under local anesthesia and submitted to the pathology laboratory. At accessioning, the specimen is logged, labeled, and assigned a unique laboratory accession number. A pathologist performs a level II surgical pathology examination (88302) consisting of a gross description, selection and preparation of representative tissue sections, microscopic evaluation, and a final diagnostic report with morphologic findings. Relevant clinical history from the surgeon includes a rapidly changing pigmented lesion and concern for skin cancer; clinical diagnosis codes such as C44.99 or D48.5 may accompany the specimen. The report is routed to the ordering clinician and scanned into the electronic health record. Turnaround time typically ranges from 24–72 hours for routine cases; additional stains or deeper sections may extend processing time and necessitate ancillary testing codes or additional documentation.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    88304Level III - Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examination

    Related Modifiers

    10 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    26Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
    76Modifier -76, Repeat Procedure or Service by Same Physician or Other Qualified Health Care Professional, is appended when the same provider performs an identical, medically necessary procedure or…- Use modifier -76 when the same physician or other qualified health care professional performs an identical procedure or service a second (or subsequent) time on the same date of service and the…
    77Modifier 77 indicates that a previously performed procedure or service was legitimately repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional. The AMA’s CPT definition…- Use modifier 77 when a basic procedure or service already performed is repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional (for example, a second provider independently…
    90Modifier ‑90 (Reference/Outside Laboratory) indicates that a laboratory test was performed by an entity other than the treating or reporting provider. The American Medical Association defines…- Use CPT modifier -90 when a laboratory test is performed by an outside/reference laboratory (an entity other than the treating or reporting physician or qualified professional) and the claim needs…
    91Modifier 91 — “Repeat Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Test” — is appended when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once for the same patient on the same day because serial,…- Use modifier 91 when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once on the same patient on the same date because serial or repeated testing is medically necessary to monitor…
    22Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the…- When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    62Modifier 62 indicates that two surgeons function as co‑surgeons, each performing distinct parts of the same primary surgical procedure. It is appended to the primary procedure code (and any…- Use modifier -62 when two surgeons act as co‑surgeons (both primary surgeons) on a single definitive primary procedure, each performing distinct parts of the same surgical procedure (append -62 to…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207ZP0102X
    207ZP0101X
    207ZP0104X
    2086S0127X
    363AM0700X
    2084A0401X
    385HR2060X
    2086S0129X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    33 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    C16.9Malignant neoplasm of stomach, unspecified
    C18.9Malignant neoplasm of colon, unspecified
    C22.0Liver cell carcinoma
    C25.9Malignant neoplasm of pancreas, unspecified
    C34.90Malignant neoplasm of unspecified part of unspecified bronchus or lung
    C44.519Basal cell carcinoma of skin of other part of trunk
    C44.99Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin, unspecified
    C50.912Malignant neoplasm of unspecified site of left female breast
    C61Malignant neoplasm of prostate
    C71.9Malignant neoplasm of brain, unspecified

    Showing 1–10 of 33

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Dermatology1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Destruction of Pre-Malignant Skin LesionsAnthem2026-10-01
    Onychomycosis diagnostic testing and coverageOscar Health2026-10-01
    Treatment of Capillary Malformations (Port Wine Stains)universityofutahhealthplans2026-09-28
    AnzupgoCigna2026-09-15
    Zevaskyn Coverage for Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis BullosaCigna2026-09-01
    Topical Acne-Non-Retinoid ProductsCigna2026-08-15
    Dermatology - Vtama Drug Quantity Management Policy - Per DaysCigna2026-08-15
    Medical Necessity Guidelines: Acne and Rosacea Medicationsharvard pilgrim health care2026-08-11
    Dermatology - Anzupgo Prior Authorization PolicyCigna2026-08-05
    Light Therapy for Dermatologic Conditionsbcbsvermont2026-08-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-88300-LEVEL-I-SURGICAL-PATHOLOGY-GROSS-EXAMINATION-ACCESSIONING

    CPT 88300: Surgical Pathology, Level I Gross Examination

    CPT-88304-SURGICAL-PATHOLOGY-LEVEL-III-GROSS-AND-MICROSCOPIC

    CPT 88304: Surgical Pathology, Level III Examination

    CPT-88305-SURGICAL-PATHOLOGY-LEVEL-IV-EXAMINATION

    CPT 88305: Surgical Pathology, Gross and Microscopic Examination, Level IV

    CPT-88307-SURGICAL-PATHOLOGY-LEVEL-V-EXAMINATION

    CPT 88307: Surgical Pathology Level V Examination

    CPT-88309-LEVEL-VI-SURGICAL-PATHOLOGY-EXAMINATION

    CPT 88309: Level VI Surgical Pathology Examination

    CPT-88311-DECALCIFICATION-SPECIMEN-PREPARATION

    CPT 88311: Decalcification Procedure for Tissue Specimens

    CPT-88312-SPECIAL-STAIN-MICROORGANISMS-TECHNICAL-COMPONENT

    CPT 88312: Special Stain, Technical Component for Microorganisms

    CPT-88313-SPECIAL-STAIN-TECHNICAL-COMPONENT

    CPT 88313: Technical Special Stain for Group II (e.g., iron, trichrome)

    CPT-88314-FROZEN-TISSUE-HISTOCHEMICAL-SPECIAL-STAIN

    CPT 88314: Frozen Tissue Histochemical Special Stain, Interpretation

    CPT-88319-ENZYME-SPECIAL-STAIN-PATHOLOGY-INTERPRETATION

    CPT 88319: Special Stain for Enzyme Constituents, With Interpretation

    Showing 1–10 of 47

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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    Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

    Higher-level surgical pathology service for more complex specimens or greater microscopic complexity compared with 88302.
    88305Level IV - Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examinationUsed when the specimen requires more extensive gross and microscopic evaluation than represented by 88302.
    88307Level V - Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examinationRepresents an even more complex surgical pathology examination following initial level services.
    88309Level VI - Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examinationHighest-level routine surgical pathology code for very complex specimens requiring extensive diagnostic work-up.