Pathology
What they do most for Medicare patients
| Service, sort | Times billed, sort |
|---|---|
| Pathology examination of tissue using a microscope, intermediate complexity | 9,800,118 |
| Special stained specimen slides to examine tissue, each additional procedure | 2,671,299 |
| Special stained specimen slides to examine tissue, initial procedure | 1,593,073 |
| Insertion of needle into vein for collection of blood sample | 1,107,617 |
| Special stained specimen slides to examine tissue including interpretation and report | 945,370 |
| Blood test, comprehensive group of blood chemicals | 843,708 |
| Pathology examination of tissue using a microscope, moderately high complexity | 826,413 |
| Special stained specimen slides to identify organisms including interpretation and report | 721,440 |
| Protein measurement, serum | 605,904 |
| Cell examination of specimen, selective cellular enhancement technique | 596,483 |
| Pathology examination of tissue using a microscope, moderately low complexity | 524,890 |
| Complete blood cell count (red cells, white blood cell, platelets), automated test and automated differential white blood cell count | 469,490 |
| Microscopic genetic analysis of tumor, manual | 425,894 |
| Preparation of tissue for examination by removing any calcium present | 417,003 |
| Immunologic analysis technique on serum (immunofixation) | 411,430 |
| Detection test by nucleic acid for organism, amplified probe technique | 404,499 |
| Flow cytometry technique for dna or cell analysis, each additional marker | 294,242 |
| Blood test, lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) | 287,171 |
| Evaluation of fine needle aspirate with interpretation and report | 277,920 |
| Blood test, thyroid stimulating hormone (tsh) | 267,414 |
| Hemoglobin a1c level | 198,605 |
| Pathology examination of specimen during surgery, first tissue block | 195,306 |
| Ferritin (blood protein) level | 170,399 |
| Iron level | 162,117 |
| Psa (prostate specific antigen) measurement, total | 152,597 |
| Flow cytometry technique for dna or cell analysis, 16 or more markers | 144,085 |
| Blood test, basic group of blood chemicals (calcium, total) | 138,812 |
| Cell examination of specimen, concentration technique | 138,497 |
| Gammaglobulin (immune system protein) measurement | 135,222 |
| Blood smear interpretation by physician with written report | 132,180 |
| Pathology examination of tissue using a microscope, limited examination | 128,569 |
| Antibody evaluation, each additional single antibody stain procedure | 126,592 |
| Cyanocobalamin (vitamin b-12) level | 123,052 |
| Special stained specimen slides to examine tissue, each multiplex procedure | 119,045 |
| Molecular pathology procedure; physician interpretation and report | 117,529 |
| Iron binding capacity | 117,297 |
| Bacterial colony count, urine | 113,790 |
| Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examinations, for prostate needle biopsy, any method | 101,471 |
| Pathology examination of tissue using a microscope, high complexity | 98,902 |
| Vitamin d-3 level | 98,740 |
| Surgical pathology consultation and report on referred slides prepared elsewhere | 95,722 |
| Evaluation of fine needle aspirate | 94,345 |
| Manual urinalysis test with examination using microscope, automated | 93,417 |
| Bone marrow, smear interpretation | 92,141 |
| Creatinine level to test for kidney function or muscle injury | 90,918 |
| Magnesium level | 86,686 |
| Urine microalbumin (protein) level | 83,010 |
| Lactate dehydrogenase (enzyme) level | 81,818 |
| Detection test for candida species (yeast), amplified probe technique | 76,643 |
| Thyroxine (thyroid chemical), free | 75,697 |
| Protein measurement, body fluid | 73,430 |
| Complete blood cell count (red cells, white blood cell, platelets), automated test | 72,593 |
| Measurement of immunoglobulin light chains | 71,899 |
| Blood test, clotting time | 69,807 |
| Identification of organisms by genetic analysis, amplified probe technique | 63,372 |
| Screening cytopathology, cervical or vaginal (any reporting system), collected in preservative fluid, automated thin layer preparation, with screening by automated system and manual rescreening under physician supervision | 61,466 |
| Folic acid level, serum | 61,298 |
| Evaluation of antimicrobial drug (antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral), microdilution or agar dilution | 61,270 |
| Pathology examination of specimen during surgery, each additional tissue block | 59,691 |
| Bacterial culture for aerobic isolates | 55,264 |
| Microscopic genetic analysis of tissue, manual, each additional multiplex stain procedure | 54,989 |
| Microscopic genetic analysis of tissue, computer-assisted technology, initial procedure, each multiplex procedure | 54,454 |
| Microscopic genetic analysis of tumor, using computer-assisted technology | 54,246 |
| Immunologic analysis technique on body fluid, other fluids with concentration | 50,574 |
| Carcinoembryonic antigen (cea) protein level | 47,971 |
| Travel allowance one way in connection with medically necessary laboratory specimen collection drawn from home bound or nursing home bound patient; prorated miles actually travelled | 47,453 |
| Pathology cytologic examination of specimen during surgery, initial site | 42,491 |
| Transferrin (iron binding protein) level | 41,673 |
| Uric acid level, blood | 41,639 |
| Blood bank physician services for cross match and/or evaluation and written report | 39,496 |
| Measurement c-reactive protein for detection of infection or inflammation | 37,228 |
| Immunologic analysis for detection of tumor antigen, quantitative; ca 15-3 | 36,974 |
| Blood creatinine level | 35,520 |
| Phosphate level | 34,994 |
| Pap test, evaluation of fine needle aspirate, immediate, each additional evaluation episode | 34,679 |
| Examination of archival tissue for genetic analysis | 33,779 |
| Prostate cancer screening; prostate specific antigen test (psa) | 32,182 |
| Testosterone (hormone) level, total | 31,544 |
| Parathormone (parathyroid hormone) level | 29,694 |
| Red blood cell sedimentation rate, to detect inflammation, automated | 29,145 |
| Detection test by nucleic acid for human papillomavirus (hpv), high-risk types | 28,512 |
| Genetic sequencing localization, initial procedure | 28,170 |
| Detection test by nucleic acid for staphylococcus aureus (bacteria), amplified probe technique | 28,110 |
| Detection test by nucleic acid for strep (streptococcus, group b), amplified probe technique | 27,759 |
| Cell examination of urine, manual | 27,693 |
| Automated urinalysis test | 27,688 |
| Pap test, automated thin layer preparation; automated system and manual rescreening | 27,604 |
| Flow cytometry technique for dna or cell analysis, 9 to 15 markers | 27,333 |
| Pathology examination of tissue using a microscope | 24,206 |
| Antibody evaluation, initial single antibody stain procedure | 22,725 |
| Liver function blood test panel | 22,567 |
| Detection test by nucleic acid for multiple organisms, amplified probe(s) technique | 22,149 |
| Detection test by nucleic acid for strep (streptococcus, group a), amplified probe technique | 21,918 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 20-29 minutes | 20,263 |
| Interpretation and report of genetic testing | 19,877 |
| Bacterial urine culture | 19,355 |
| Genetic sequencing localization, each additional procedure | 19,141 |
| Psa (prostate specific antigen) measurement, free | 19,094 |
| Cell examination of body fluid, smears | 18,746 |
| Kidney function blood test panel | 18,732 |
Sources: Medicare Care Compare (hospitals and schools; Medicare-enrolled clinicians), CMS Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners 2023 (services), Medicare Part D Prescribers 2024 (drugs).