Pathology examination of specimen during surgery, first tissue block
Medicare pricing data for 10,925 providers across 52 states
Note: These costs reflect the Medicare physician/supplier component. Hospital facility fees are billed separately and can be 2-5x the physician fee.
💡 What You Should Know
Pathology examination of specimen during surgery, first tissue block (HCPCS code 88331) is a medical procedure billed to Medicare. The average Medicare-allowed cost is $71.46, but hospitals typically charge $228.58 — a 3.2x markup. Prices vary significantly by state and provider.
🏷️ Typical Out-of-Pocket Cost
Medicare patients typically pay about 20% of the allowed amount as coinsurance. Based on the average allowed cost of $71.46, your out-of-pocket cost would be approximately $14.29. Actual costs depend on your specific plan, deductible, and whether you've met your annual out-of-pocket maximum.
What Hospitals Charge vs. What Medicare Pays
Hospitals charge 3.2x more than what Medicare allows for this procedure. Medicare actually pays $56.41 on average.
Cost by State
Medicare-allowed amounts vary significantly by state
| State | Allowed Cost | Hospital Charge | Providers | Services | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $90 | $199 | 44 | 3,341 | +26.6% |
| Arkansas | $85 | $132 | 118 | 12,596 | +18.8% |
| Hawaii | $83 | $191 | 39 | 1,179 | +16.8% |
| Virginia | $83 | $189 | 228 | 9,722 | +16.2% |
| Wyoming | $81 | $299 | 13 | 148 | +13.5% |
| Idaho | $81 | $212 | 41 | 1,573 | +12.9% |
| Puerto Rico | $80 | $176 | 17 | 94 | +11.3% |
| Alaska | $79 | $440 | 13 | 686 | +10.0% |
| Florida | $78 | $225 | 760 | 41,909 | +9.4% |
| Tennessee | $76 | $168 | 288 | 11,090 | +6.6% |
| Texas | $76 | $234 | 853 | 26,188 | +6.4% |
| California | $75 | $243 | 1,043 | 24,477 | +5.3% |
| Maryland | $74 | $215 | 206 | 7,277 | +3.9% |
| Alabama | $73 | $188 | 150 | 5,559 | +2.7% |
| South Carolina | $73 | $253 | 165 | 6,817 | +2.3% |
| New Mexico | $71 | $219 | 49 | 1,168 | -0.7% |
| Nevada | $70 | $227 | 61 | 1,213 | -1.9% |
| Massachusetts | $70 | $251 | 412 | 10,136 | -2.0% |
| Georgia | $70 | $241 | 255 | 7,090 | -2.7% |
| New Jersey | $69 | $261 | 221 | 5,642 | -3.0% |
| Arizona | $69 | $207 | 220 | 8,065 | -3.2% |
| New York | $69 | $247 | 698 | 16,051 | -3.5% |
| Oklahoma | $68 | $214 | 102 | 2,766 | -4.4% |
| Pennsylvania | $68 | $233 | 523 | 13,045 | -4.6% |
| Washington | $68 | $190 | 240 | 5,019 | -5.3% |
| North Carolina | $67 | $232 | 300 | 7,971 | -6.0% |
| District of Columbia | $67 | $191 | 41 | 972 | -6.6% |
| Montana | $67 | $185 | 35 | 868 | -6.9% |
| Rhode Island | $66 | $190 | 52 | 575 | -7.1% |
| Indiana | $66 | $230 | 189 | 5,459 | -7.6% |
| Kentucky | $66 | $209 | 148 | 4,469 | -7.7% |
| Colorado | $66 | $225 | 193 | 3,880 | -7.8% |
| Oregon | $66 | $230 | 141 | 2,919 | -7.8% |
| Vermont | $66 | $270 | 29 | 330 | -8.2% |
| Utah | $66 | $193 | 102 | 2,619 | -8.3% |
| Nebraska | $65 | $228 | 81 | 2,450 | -9.6% |
| Illinois | $65 | $271 | 442 | 10,118 | -9.6% |
| Connecticut | $64 | $235 | 162 | 2,043 | -10.3% |
| Minnesota | $64 | $293 | 297 | 10,719 | -10.3% |
| Wisconsin | $64 | $410 | 237 | 4,717 | -10.9% |
| West Virginia | $63 | $200 | 63 | 1,303 | -12.0% |
| New Hampshire | $62 | $610 | 58 | 864 | -12.6% |
| Mississippi | $62 | $202 | 78 | 2,435 | -12.7% |
| Iowa | $62 | $232 | 111 | 4,771 | -12.8% |
| South Dakota | $62 | $208 | 45 | 1,401 | -13.3% |
| Ohio | $62 | $240 | 432 | 10,596 | -13.5% |
| Missouri | $61 | $221 | 225 | 5,216 | -14.1% |
| Kansas | $61 | $202 | 127 | 3,273 | -14.2% |
| Michigan | $61 | $221 | 324 | 5,129 | -14.5% |
| North Dakota | $61 | $195 | 39 | 651 | -15.2% |
| Louisiana | $58 | $196 | 157 | 4,452 | -18.6% |
| Maine | $56 | $173 | 52 | 1,138 | -21.1% |
⚠️ Important: These costs reflect the Medicare physician/supplier component. Hospital facility fees may be billed separately. Total out-of-pocket costs may be higher.
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