Technical Rates for Many Pathology Services To Get Small Boost Under Proposed MPFS

The Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) for 2020 includes a 5% hike to the technical component for CPT 88305, which, if finalized, would raise it to $32.12. Meanwhile, the rate for the professional interpretation is being lowered by a proposed 1% to $39.34. Overall, the global rate for CPT 88305 will increase by a proposed 2% to $71.46.

In general, technical component fees for many key surgical pathology
services (e.g., CPT 88305, 88307 and 88309) and special stains (e.g., CPT
88312 & 88313) are proposed to increase, while most professional interpretation rates are set for no change or small reductions.

Meanwhile, a few areas where pathologists and labs will see significant
rate reductions are cytopathology, flow cytometry and prostate biopsies.