Biopsy pathology exam cost in Milwaukee, WI
In Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, 17 hospitals list a cash price for biopsy tissue exam by a pathologist (level IV): from $121.37 to $525.76, with a median of $307.50. The lowest listed price is at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - Southeast Wisconsin and 3 other hospitals — $186.13 less than the median here. Across Wisconsin, the median is $202.15 at 71 hospitals.
Cash prices at 17 facilities across 10 cities for code 88305, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Nov 21, 2025 and Mar 23, 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - Southeast Wisconsin lowest Franklin, WI HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LEVEL IV | $121.37 | $229.00 | $33.88–$134.24 | 47% | — source file |
| Ascension St. Francis Hospital lowest Milwaukee, WI · (414) 647-5000 HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LEVEL IV | $121.37 | $229.00 | $33.88–$134.24 | 47% | — source file |
| Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital lowest Franklin, WI HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LEVEL IV | $121.37 | $229.00 | $33.88–$134.24 | 47% | — source file |
| Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital lowest Milwaukee, WI · (414) 447-2130 HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LEVEL IV | $121.37 | $229.00 | $33.88–$134.24 | 47% | — source file |
| Columbia St. Mary's Glendale, WI SURG GROSS & MICRO IV | $139.39 | $263.00 | $29.22–$72.86 | 47% | — source file |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC SURG PATH LEVEL IV GROSS & MICRO EXAM PLACENTA <3RD TRIMEST | $181.36 | $329.75 | $230.83–$313.26 | 45% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC SURG PATH LEVEL IV GROSS & MICRO EXAM PLACENTA <3RD TRIMEST | $181.36 | $329.75 | $230.83–$313.26 | 45% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC SURG PATH LEVEL IV | $204.05 | $371.00 | $259.70–$352.45 | 45% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC SURG PATH LEVEL IV | $204.05 | $371.00 | $259.70–$352.45 | 45% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC CYTOLOGY BLOCK | $245.16 | $445.75 | $312.03–$423.46 | 45% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC CYTOLOGY BLOCK | $245.16 | $445.75 | $312.03–$423.46 | 45% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI · (414) 585-1374 HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LEVEL IV | $286.73 | $541.00 | $37.48–$239.93 | 47% | — source file |
| Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI · (414) 585-1374 HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LEVEL IV | $286.73 | $541.00 | $37.48–$239.93 | 47% | — source file |
| Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Ozaukee Mequon, WI HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LEVEL IV | $286.73 | $541.00 | $37.48–$239.93 | 47% | — source file |
| Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Ozaukee Mequon, WI HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LEVEL IV | $286.73 | $541.00 | $37.48–$239.93 | 47% | — source file |
| Aurora St Lukes Medical Center of Aurora Health Care Metro Milwaukee, WI · (414) 649-6000 KIDNEY BIOPSY, LEVEL IV | $307.50 | $615.00 | $57.17–$522.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora West Allis Medical Center West Allis, WI · (414) 328-6000 KIDNEY BIOPSY, LEVEL IV | $307.50 | $615.00 | $57.17–$522.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora West Allis Medical Center West Allis, WI · (414) 328-6000 SURGICAL PATHOLOGY, LEVEL IV | $307.50 | $615.00 | $57.17–$522.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Medical Center Kenosha Kenosha, WI · (262) 948-5600 SURGICAL PATHOLOGY, LEVEL IV | $307.50 | $615.00 | $57.17–$522.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Medical Center Washington County Hartford, WI · (262) 673-2300 SURGICAL PATHOLOGY, LEVEL IV | $307.50 | $615.00 | $57.17–$522.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Medical Center Summit Summit, WI · (262) 434-1600 SURGICAL PATHOLOGY, LEVEL IV | $307.50 | $615.00 | $57.17–$522.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Medical Center Grafton Grafton, WI · (262) 329-1000 SURGICAL PATHOLOGY, LEVEL IV | $307.50 | $615.00 | $57.17–$522.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Sinai Medical Center of Aurora Health Care Metro Milwaukee, WI SURGICAL PATHOLOGY, LEVEL IV | $307.50 | $615.00 | $57.17–$522.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora St Lukes Medical Center of Aurora Health Care Metro Milwaukee, WI · (414) 649-6000 SURGICAL PATHOLOGY, LEVEL IV | $307.50 | $615.00 | $57.17–$522.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora St Lukes South Shore of Aurora Health Care Metro Cudahy, WI SURGICAL PATHOLOGY, LEVEL IV | $307.50 | $615.00 | $57.17–$522.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital Franklin, WI HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LVL IV | $503.50 | $950.00 | $33.88–$247.09 | 47% | — source file |
| Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - Southeast Wisconsin Franklin, WI HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LVL IV | $503.50 | $950.00 | $33.88–$247.09 | 47% | — source file |
| Ascension St. Francis Hospital Milwaukee, WI · (414) 647-5000 HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LVL IV | $503.50 | $950.00 | $33.88–$247.09 | 47% | — source file |
| Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital Milwaukee, WI · (414) 447-2130 HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LVL IV | $503.50 | $950.00 | $33.88–$247.09 | 47% | — source file |
| Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI · (414) 585-1374 HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LVL IV | $525.76 | $992.00 | $37.48–$239.93 | 47% | — source file |
| Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Ozaukee Mequon, WI HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LVL IV | $525.76 | $992.00 | $37.48–$239.93 | 47% | — source file |
| Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Institute Mequon, WI HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LVL IV | $525.76 | $992.00 | $37.48–$239.93 | 47% | — source file |
| Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Institute Mequon, WI HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LVL IV | $525.76 | $992.00 | $37.48–$239.93 | 47% | — source file |
| Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI · (414) 585-1374 HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LVL IV | $525.76 | $992.00 | $37.48–$239.93 | 47% | — source file |
| Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Ozaukee Mequon, WI HC SURGICAL PATHOLOGY GROSS EXAM LVL IV | $525.76 | $992.00 | $37.48–$239.93 | 47% | — source file |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC DETERMATIVE HISTOCHEM/CYTOCHEM | $1,024.79 | $1,863.25 | $1,304.28–$1,770.09 | 45% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC DETERMATIVE HISTOCHEM/CYTOCHEM | $1,024.79 | $1,863.25 | $1,304.28–$1,770.09 | 45% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $121.37, median $307.50, highest $525.76 — a 4.3× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 13 facilities here, median $307.50. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 13 of 17 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 it is below every plan's rate. 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.