Find policies, billing codes, payers, states, and providers
CPT 88302: Surgical Pathology, Level II - Gross and Microscopic Examination
CPT code 88302 denotes a Level II surgical pathology service in which a pathologist accessions a surgical specimen, performs gross and microscopic examination, and documents findings. This code captures routine diagnostic pathology work that underpins surgical decision-making and cancer diagnosis, making it a core component of hospital and laboratory clinical workflows nationwide. Payers referenced in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare.
Readers will find an explanation of what the code represents, clinical context for when a Level II examination is appropriate, and comparison to adjacent complexity codes (88304, 88305, 88307, 88309). The publication outlines common billing considerations, typical sites of service, and the clinical impact of timely pathology reporting. It also summarizes payer coverage patterns and policy nuances relevant to national practice, and highlights areas where coding specificity affects clinical documentation and claims processing. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Customize your policy alerts
Sign up for cpt 88302 policy alerts
Get alerted when payer policies referencing 88302 are released or updated.
Monitor payer policy activity
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 88302 describes a Level II surgical pathology examination performed by a physician, typically a pathologist. The service includes accessioning the surgical specimen into the laboratory (formal receipt and labeling), followed by gross and microscopic examination and generation of a pathology report.
Service type: Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examination (Level II)
Typical site of service: Hospital pathology laboratory or independent reference pathology laboratory, with specimens received from operating rooms, ambulatory surgical centers, or outpatient clinics.
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.