Is mole-removal by a doctor usually billed as surgery?

Question

I've recently had a mole removed by a doctor.

It took him all of...eh, I'd say, 4 or 5 minutes (MAX) to walk in the room, have me position the area in the ready position and hold it there, numb it out with some ....I dunno, numbing stuff from a needle.... then scoop away at it with whatever sharp tool thingy he used, until he was done and put a bandage over it and told me I was good to go.

Well, now me and my health care provider are getting billed for it as "SURGERY".
A tiny little informal 5 minute interaction.
To the tune of $173 for the health care provider, and a [lousy] $150 deductible to me.

$323 for 5 minutes, and a tiny squirt of numbing stuff. oh, and a fancy bio-hazard clear-plastic little canister to put the mole-chunk in afterward.
This was just a normal-sized mole. We're not talkin' some big-bertha quarter-sized clump sticking off of my jugular, here. This thing was no bigger than an average pea.

The doctor spent 5 minutes or so with me.


Is a short little procedure like this usually billed in this manner?!?!?!?
$323 for him to trip clip off a little mole?????? Classified and billed as "Surgery"??????

Is this fair? Legal?

Answer 1

Mine was billed as a surgery. He may have sent the mole off for a biopsy, and that's why he put it in the little canister. It's usually billed in this manner, and it's legal. It cost $500 when I had one removed, and it wasn't even close to pea-sized.

Answer 2

Moles are generally hyper-pigmentation found on skin. These might get eliminated through surgical procedure, or simply through various diy home cures.



Surgical procedure is costly, charging anywhere from around $100-$400 yet it could cause scarring. Home made remedies are actually low-cost and also could get rid of bothersome moles within only a couple of days while not leaving keloids.



Home cures can include garlic, cumin seeds, and even grapefruit seed extract applied for a brief period.

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

Yes it is. These doctors are highly trained professionals and they can bill you a $1000 for the surgery.

Answer 5

Hey, if it is worth the money to be less ugly, stop argueing and pay the man.