Biopsy pathology exam cost in Madison, WI — inpatient
In Madison, WI, 2 hospitals list a cash price for biopsy tissue exam by a pathologist (level IV) as an inpatient: from $120.80 to $202.15, with a median of $161.48. The lowest listed price is at UnityPoint Health - Meriter — $40.68 less than the median here. Across Wisconsin, the median is $202.15 at 71 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 88305, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Apr 1, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Madison, WI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UnityPoint Health - Meriter lowest Madison, WI · (608) 417-6210 CHG SURG PATH,LEVEL IV | $120.80 | $151.00 | $34.73–$194.85 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital Portage, WI · (608) 742-4131 Pro Surgical Path Level 4 | $202.15 | $311.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital Portage, WI · (608) 742-4131 Pro Tissue Exam by Pathologist | $202.15 | $311.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital Portage, WI · (608) 742-4131 Path Level IV 88305 Initial -Tech-Mh | $215.80 | $332.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital Portage, WI · (608) 742-4131 Fac Tissue Exam by Pathologist | $215.80 | $332.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital Portage, WI · (608) 742-4131 Fac Surgical Path Level 4 | $215.80 | $332.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital Portage, WI · (608) 742-4131 LEVEL IV SURG PATHOLOGY GROSS&MICROSCOPIC EXAM | $417.95 | $643.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Meriter Madison, WI · (608) 417-6210 HC SURG PATH, LEVEL-IV | $712.40 | $890.49 | $204.81–$845.97 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $120.80, median $161.48, highest $202.15 — a 1.7× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $161.48 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
This code covers the lab exam of a tissue sample under a microscope. Most biopsies use it, including skin, colon polyp, stomach, breast core and prostate core biopsies.
What the price covers
The price is usually for one specimen. Each separate specimen is billed again, and the pathologist's reading may be billed separately.