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How Much Does Mohs Surgery Cost?

asked 3 years ago by trufa in san diego
Latest answer by William Ting, MD
Question viewed 25,220 times
Tags: costs

I have Basal Cell Carcinona (BCC) in the face (upper maxilla ), and it was removed on November 22, 2008. However, the surgeon did an incomplete primary excision and the biopsy showed positive margins for BCC. I did some research, and the Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS) is a good option for the recurrent BCC. Since I don't have insurance coverage in the US, what is the average cost of MMS?

9 answers to How Much Does Mohs Surgery Cost?

It depends on several factors.

Though I am not at liberty to discuss my charges for certain procedures, I can tell you that for a typical Mohs case with 2 layers on the face with a relatively simple closure of the wound, Medicare charges approximately $1,500. Most dermatologists charge rates that are comparable to Medicare or may charge you a flat rate for the entire procedure. That being said, the range is considerable and without evaluating you, there would be no way to give you an accurate estimate. The charges are... more

Bryan K. Chen, MD
San Diego Dermatologist

Mohs surgery costs depends on complexity and repair

The cost for Mohs surgery varies by location on the body, geographical area, and surgeon. But the larger determinants are: 1. How many layers will it take to clear the tumor? The Mohs procedure is billed according to the number of layers, or how many times the tissue has to be cut out and processed to achieve clear margins. Your Mohs surgeon will try to balance clearing the tumor in as few layers as possible while also trying to spare as much healthy tissue as possible. Depending on the... more

Chad L. Prather, MD
Baton Rouge Dermatologist

Multiple factors determine the cost of Mohs

The best way to address your question is by seeing a Mohs surgeon in consultation. The physician can better evaluate your condition and determine the complexity of the procedure as well as the reconstruction that might be needed. No one knows how many stages of Mohs surgery you will need and the cost is proportional to the number of stages as each stage requires further laboratory analysis. The cost of the procedure also depends on the type of repair done on the defect once the cancer is... more

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologist

Cost of Mohs Micrographic Surgery

The cost of Mohs Micrographic Surgery depends on number of stages required to achieve clear margins in the surgical site where a basal cell carcinoma or a squamous cell carcinoma has been biopsied. In addition, there may be additional expense related to the reconstructive repair. If you do not have insurance, seek out a Mohs Micrographic Surgeon who is willing to minimize your financial jeopardy and give you a flat fee for the entire procedure from the beginning to the end. more

William Ting, MD
Bay Area Dermatologic Surgeon

Cost of Mohs Surgery

Costs vary by dermatologist and by geographic area. However, it is standard that cost is per "stage". This is the way Medicare compensates physicians for Mohs surgery. The fee per stage includes the cost of the Mohs surgeon not only removing the cancerous tissue, but also mapping it, sectioning it, marking it and then working with a histotechnician to create frozen sections of the tissue. Lastly, it also includes the Mohs surgeon reading the sections to see if all the tumor is... more

Steven Hacker, MD
West Palm Beach Dermatologic Surgeon

www.palmbeachdermasurgery.com

Cost of Mohs surgery

Dear Trufa, The charge for Mohs surgery is as follows: 1. First layer. This cost INCLUDES taking the first skin specimen, the processing of slides, reading the slides and mapping of the tumor. The only variable in this charge is whether it is taking place on the scalp, face, neck vs. the arms, trunk and lower extremities. Generally, most doctors accept insurance for Mohs. I cannot comment on the price for those who do not but this is a reasonable question to ask any Mohs surgeon in... more

Kavita Mariwalla, MD
New Haven Dermatologic Surgeon

Many factors involved in mohs cost

The cost of MOHS skin cancer excision and reconstruction depends on several factors. There are 3 factors that contribute to the overall cost. For MOHS surgery, you will pay for: 1. excision, 2. pathology reading, and 3. reconstruction. The excision and pathology cost increase as the number of "levels" increase. A level is added each time the doctor has to go back and take more tissue until all of the cancer is removed. The cost of the reconstruction depends on the size of the... more

Jonathan Hoenig, MD
Beverly Hills Oculoplastic Surgeon

Mohs surgery cost depends on complexity of the case

The cost of your surgery will vary depending on the complexity of the of the case. The advantage of Mohs surgery is that when the surgery is done, you will know immediately that the surgeon has removed all the remaining tumor and this can be done with a 99% certainty in most Mohs cases. Please be advised that with your initial excision, since it was not done by Mohs surgery, less than 1% margin examination was performed. Therefore, you are lucky that they did detect residual basal cell... more

Shawn Allen, MD
Boulder Dermatologist

It depends on the number of excisions required plus the closure

Moh's would be considered a medically necessary procedure and as such should be covered by health insurance. So would the wound reconstruction after excision of the BCC. The number of excisions it takes to clear the tumor usually determines the cost of the Moh's treatment in addition to the complexity of the closure. There is no way to give you cost estimates in your situation. All I can recommend is that you find an excellent Moh's performing dermatologist in your area and ask.... more

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

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