CPT 88344: Multiplex Antibody Stain with Pathology Interpretation
Medicare pays $121 and commercial payers pay $253 on average nationally for this procedure.
CPT code 88344 describes a pathology service where a laboratory analyst performs a single multiplex antibody stain on slide(s) prepared from a single patient specimen (for example, tumor tissue) and a qualified provider interprets the stained slides to render a pathologic diagnosis; service type: immunohistochemistry/immunocytochemistry multiplex staining with professional interpretation; typical site of service: hospital or independent outpatient pathology laboratory or anatomic pathology department.
For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Onychomycosis diagnostic testing and coverage, Topical Acne-Non-Retinoid Products, Dermatology - Vtama Drug Quantity Management Policy - Per Days.
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National Reimbursement Benchmarks
Medicare’s mean rate of $120.8 sits slightly below the BUCA average commercial mean of $253, indicating that BUCA reimbursements are roughly double Medicare for CPT 88344 on a national basis. This gap highlights a meaningful spread between a federal benchmark and one set of commercial averages, with BUCA representing higher-than-Medicare compensation on average.
Dispersion measured as the interquartile range (P75 minus P25) is widest for Blue Cross Blue Shield at $159 (P75 $418.3 minus P25 $245.9) and for BUCA at $144 (P75 $306.4 minus P25 $162.2), indicating more variability in commercial contracting. The tightest interquartile spreads are Aetna at $96.3 and UnitedHealth Group at $90.1, followed by Cigna at $141.6; Medicare’s reported IQR is $131 (P75 $169 minus P25 $38). These differences suggest notable heterogeneity in commercial market pricing versus Medicare’s narrower midpoint distribution.