How Much Does Mohs Surgery Cost?
The average cost of Mohs surgery is $2,825, according to 239 from RealSelf members, though the price with no insurance can range as high as $1,200.
Mohs surgery costs can vary widely, depending on the specifics of your procedure and a few other key factors.
Read on to learn why your Mohs surgery price may be higher or lower than the average cost, and whether people who've had this skin cancer removal surgery think it was worth the money.
Is Mohs surgery covered by insurance?
Private insurance providers typically cover a large portion of the cost of Mohs surgery (minus your deductible), because it's considered medically necessary. Talk with your insurance company in advance of your procedure, to get clarification on how much they will cover and what you'll need to pay out-of-pocket. Your doctor's staff will support your insurance claim with the necessary medical documentation.
Medicare usually covers 80% of the cost of Mohs surgery.
If you need help covering the remainder of the cost, plastic surgery financing companies like CareCredit are an option. Some providers also offer their own financing options or monthly payment plans.
Is the Mohs surgery worth the money?
Mohs surgery has earned a 97% Worth It Rating from the RealSelf community, so most people who reviewed their procedure think the results were worth the expense.
Mohs micrographic surgery is a highly specialized type of surgical excision that effectively removes common types of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). (It can also treat melanoma, but it's typically used for nonmelanoma skin cancers.)
Mohs surgery offers the highest cure rate of BCC and SCC of any skin cancer removal technique, with minimal recurrence rates.
It also offers some of the best cosmetic results of any skin cancer treatment option. Its precise nature means that it spares more healthy tissue than most surgical excision methods, minimizing scarring and the need for reconstructive surgery.
It can be more expensive than other forms of skin cancer removal, but Mohs usually ends up being a more cost-effective option due to its low recurrence rates.
Why does the cost of Mohs surgery vary?
These are the biggest reasons the price of this skin cancer treatment can fluctuate:
1) Who performs your Mohs surgery.
This skin cancer treatment can only be performed by a board-certified dermatologist who has trained to be a Mohs surgeon through extensive fellowships and advanced training, and has received certification from the American College of Mohs Surgery.
Any healthcare provider with this unique credential will be able to charge more than a dermatologist who solely performs standard skin cancer excisions.
If cost is a significant issue, finding a qualified provider who's still establishing their practice can be more affordable.
That said, the more experience a provider has, the more likely you'll have a successful procedure, with satisfying cosmetic results. Particularly if your procedure will be in a visible location (like your face), this can be well worth the cost.
2) Where your surgical procedure is performed.
If you live in a major city, you know firsthand that prices for everything, including dermatologic procedures, are higher, simply because of the higher cost of living. The upside: you'll likely have a bigger selection of Mohs surgeons. You may also find that qualified surgeons in different areas of the city provide very different price quotes.
The type of surgical facility also matters. In-office procedures are the most affordable, while you'll pay more if your provider performs this procedure in a surgery center.
A hospital operating room will come with the most hefty facility fee, so if you're paying out of pocket, try to avoid this option.
3) The size and location of the treatment area.
Mohs is especially suited to certain areas of the body, including the face, hands, feet, and genitalia, but can be performed anywhere.
Some treatment areas, such as the scalp, can be particularly challenging to treat due to the thinness of the skin; technical difficulty may increase the time involved (and the price tag).
Additionally, skin cancer is often like an iceberg: the size of the lesion that's visible at the surface may be a fraction of the cancerous cells below.
If the cancer has spread beyond the point of your initial biopsy, your dermatologic surgeon will have much more work to do and may need to charge more for the additional time.
4) The complexity of your case.
This skin cancer treatment is more precise and methodical than standard skin cancer excisions. A quick overview:
- A dermatologic surgeon trained in the technique carefully removes a layer of tissue (sometimes using curettage, a scraping method) from where you had your biopsy and examines it for cancer cells.
- If they're present, the surgeon removes another layer of tissue and examines it.
- They continue this process until only healthy tissue remains.
Because this technique is so exact and the tissue is checked at every step of the way, this outpatient surgery can be very time-consuming: in some cases, it takes hours or even an entire day to complete.
5) Whether you also need reconstructive surgery.
The incisions created by Mohs surgery often heal in a more desirable way than other skin cancer treatment options, but your surgeon may opt to work in tandem with a reconstructive or plastic surgeon, to ensure you get the best cosmetic results possible. This is especially likely if you're being treated in a very visible area, like your face.
Adding another physician will add a second surgeon's fee to your total bill.
6) How much of your procedure is covered by health insurance.
As we mentioned, Medicare and most private insurance companies cover a large portion of Mohs surgery costs, though you may receive reimbursement after you've paid up-front, rather than a reduced bill.
Your insurance provider may also cover any facial reconstructive surgery done post-Mohs by a plastic surgeon.
Work with your provider's care team and your insurance provider ahead of booking your surgical treatment, to determine the level of coverage you'll receive. If you'll need to cover the remaining portion with financing, ask your provider's staff which options they accept.