Always confirm costs with your healthcare facility and/or insurance coverage
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., and while it’s highly treatable — especially when caught early — the cost of treatment can range from “manageable” to “you’re gonna feel that one.”
From a quick mole removal to Mohs surgery or melanoma treatment, here’s what it really costs to deal with skin cancer — with or without insurance.
💡 Quick Cost Overview
Type of Skin Cancer |
Typical Treatment Cost (w/ Insurance) |
No Insurance (Full Cost) |
|---|---|---|
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) |
$300 – $1,500 |
$1,500 – $5,000+ |
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) |
$500 – $2,000 |
$2,000 – $6,000+ |
Melanoma (Early Stage) |
$1,000 – $5,000 |
$5,000 – $15,000+ |
Melanoma (Advanced/Metastatic) |
$5,000 – $30,000+ |
$30,000 – $250,000+ |
🧾 Out-of-pocket costs vary depending on insurance plan, deductible, and treatment type.
🔍 Common Treatment Options & Prices
Treatment Type |
Cash Price Estimate |
Best For |
|---|---|---|
Excisional Surgery |
$500 – $3,000 |
BCC, SCC, some melanoma |
Mohs Surgery |
$1,500 – $5,000 |
Facial cancers, visible areas |
Cryotherapy (Freezing) |
$100 – $500 |
Precancerous or superficial lesions |
Topical Creams (5-FU, Imiquimod) |
$100 – $1,000 |
Small, non-invasive lesions |
Radiation Therapy |
$5,000 – $10,000+ |
Patients who can’t undergo surgery |
Targeted Therapy / Immunotherapy |
$10,000 – $250,000/year |
Advanced melanoma |
🧴 When It’s Not Cancer (Yet): Precancerous Lesions
Treatment |
Cost (No Insurance) |
|---|---|
Skin biopsy |
$100 – $350 |
Liquid nitrogen freezing |
$100 – $500 |
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) |
$1,000 – $2,500 |
Efudex / Aldara creams |
$100 – $600 |
💡 Treating precancerous lesions early is dramatically cheaper than waiting.
🩺 Where You Get Treated = What You’ll Pay
Setting |
Cost Range |
|---|---|
Dermatologist Office (In-Network) |
$200 – $1,500 |
Outpatient Surgery Center |
$1,500 – $7,000 |
Cancer Center / Hospital |
$3,000 – $30,000+ |
ER Visit (for urgent skin issues) |
$1,000 – $5,000+ (not recommended unless emergency) |
💳 Is Skin Cancer Treatment Covered by Insurance?
Coverage Type |
Treatment Covered? |
|---|---|
Private Insurance (PPO/HMO) |
✅ Yes (after deductible) |
✅ Yes, includes Mohs & melanoma therapies |
|
Medicaid |
✅ Yes, but limited provider networks |
FSA/HSA Eligible? |
✅ Absolutely — surgery, creams, scans |
⚠️ Be aware of out-of-network providers — even for dermatology, this can drastically increase your bill.
🧠 Tips to Save on Skin Cancer Treatment
- ✅ Get diagnosed early — smaller tumors = smaller bills
- ✅ Ask your provider about cash pay discounts for outpatient removal
- ✅ Shop around for Mohs surgeons — prices vary a lot
- ✅ Use your FSA/HSA to pay tax-free
- ✅ If uninsured, call local teaching hospitals or dermatology schools for low-cost removal
💭 Final Thoughts: Early = Cheaper, Safer, Smarter
Catching and treating skin cancer early doesn’t just save your skin — it saves you thousands.
Ignore it, and the cost (financially and physically) skyrockets.
☀️ That “just a mole” might cost you $10,000 later. Get it looked at now — before it turns into a six-figure surgery.
🔚 Bottom Line
- Mild cases (excision or cryo)? $200 – $3,000
- Mohs surgery or early melanoma? $1,500 – $10,000
- Advanced melanoma? Up to $250,000+ annually
- With insurance? You’ll still likely owe $500 – $5,000 out-of-pocket
- Prevention and early treatment = MASSIVE savings
