Please enter a search term to begin your search.
To take the mystery out of billing, we've created a section that answers most questions you may have. Please read our section below to find out more. Feel free to call our office at (503) 223-3104 if you have more questions.
Q Will my insurance plan cover a preventative skin exam?
A Our doctors are happy to see you for an exam and consultation. Most insurance plans do not cover routine preventative skin examinations. However, most patients who consider a visit to a dermatologist have skin spots, birthmarks, lesions, moles or other noticeable skin conditions which cause concern. Once a condition or lesion has been diagnosed by a dermatologist, whether the spot is benign or malignant, your insurance plan will not consider it “preventative care” and the visit will thus be covered.
Q How do you determine your fees?
A Our fees are regulated by the entity who governs the medical field. As well, many factors are taken into consideration when creating a fee structure. For example determining what is required in order to provide a specific service to our patients (ie resources, supplies, staff assistance). We review local data of the surrounding area to ensure our fees are in line with others providing the same or similar services.
Q The doctor spent 10 minutes with me and squirted some liquid on my wart. I feel the charge is too high considering the treatment didn’t even work.
A Our fee is not created based on time alone. The fee takes into consideration the doctor’s expertise and skill, risk factors, supplies and resources required to perform the procedure. Warts are caused by a virus and there is no known cure. Whether warts are treated or not they may go away and then reappear. It may take multiple treatments before you see any change.
Q Why am I being charged for pathology from your office and from somewhere else? Why wasn’t I told it would be sent out?
A In order to provide optimum service to all of our patients there may be times it is necessary for the doctor to send the specimen(s) to an outside dermatopathologist if there is a question about the diagnosis. The slides will be prepped in-house then sent out for interpretation. A report is generated by the outside dermatopathologist which is then sent back to your doctor. PDC will charge for the preparation of the slide(s), called the Technical Component. The outside dermatopathologist will charge for the interpretation and report, called the Professional Component.
Q The doctor removed a lesion from my back. Why am I being charged for another surgery to repair it? Shouldn’t that be one charge?
A There are two parts to this type of procedure – the removal of the lesion and the repair. The type of removal chosen is dependent on several factors such as size, location and whether it’s benign or malignant. The type of repair functions similarly. The procedure is required to be billed in two parts (removal and repair) because each has specific criteria to meet per insurance coding guidelines.
Q Freezing of Actinic Keratosis: The doctor sprayed me for half a second - why is it so expensive?
A The treatment of Actinic Keratosis involves spraying liquid nitrogen on the lesions. The cost starts at $145 and increases according to the number of lesions treated. Our fees are in line with other dermatologists in our area who provide the same service.
Q What will I be charged for Mohs?
A The range for Mohs is anywhere from $2000 thru $8000. The procedure consists of two parts – the removal of the cancer and the repair of the wound.
The price for Mohs is determined by the following:
Note: The above cost range is for Mohs surgery ONLY. It does not include fees for: