Cost of a Skin Biopsy Visit
in Iowa
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Iowa's healthcare system serves a predominantly rural population across 99 counties, with dermatology services concentrated in urban centers like Des Moines and Iowa City. Skin Biopsy visits in Iowa typically range from $54 to $251, with most patients paying around $123 for their procedure. The state maintains 490 active Skin Biopsy providers, offering patients multiple options for accessing care across Iowa's diverse geographic landscape.
Average
$143
Median
$123
Lowest
$54
Highest
$251
Providers
490
15% above national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does skin biopsy compare to related procedures in Iowa?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joint Injection Injection into a major joint or bursa | 20610 | $61 | $109 | $256 | 503 |
| Abscess Drainage (I&D) Incision and drainage of abscess, simple | 10060 | $85 | $215 | $502 | 624 |
| Blood Draw (Venipuncture) Routine venipuncture for blood sample | 36415 | $3 | $72 | $95 | 1,396 |
Important: These are cost estimates only — not a quote and not medical advice.
The prices on this page are self-pay rates, drawn from federal Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files (CPT 11102 — Tangential biopsy of skin, single lesion). They represent what a patient might pay without insurance.
Your actual cost depends on: your specific insurance plan, your remaining deductible, your coinsurance percentage, whether you have met your out-of-pocket maximum, whether the facility and provider are both in-network, and any separate anesthesia or implant fees billed independently.
This page does not constitute medical advice. Whether you need this procedure, and which approach is right for you, is a decision to make with a licensed healthcare provider.
Where this data comes from & what CPT 11102 covers
Data source: Cost figures are derived from UnitedHealthcare Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files for CPT code 11102 (Tangential biopsy of skin, single lesion), as mandated by the CMS Price Transparency Rule.
What CPT 11102 covers: the provider's professional fee for skin biopsy. It does not include facility/hospital fees, anesthesia, pre-operative imaging, post-operative care, or any add-on codes billed separately.
How to read this data
Negotiated Rate
The discounted price an insurer has agreed to pay a specific provider. Most insured patients' bills are calculated from this number, not the higher list price hospitals publish separately.
P5, Median, P95
P5 is the rate at the 5th percentile (low end), Median is the middle value, and P95 is the 95th percentile (high end). This range shows how much the same visit can vary between providers.
What this does not tell you
These rates do not tell you what you personally will pay out of pocket. That depends on your specific plan, how much of your deductible you have already met, your coinsurance rate, and whether the provider is in your network. Call your insurer's member line to get your exact estimate.
Why Skin Biopsy Visit Costs Vary Across Iowa
Iowa's healthcare costs run approximately 9% below national averages, reflecting the state's lower cost of living and competitive market dynamics in major metropolitan areas. Rural healthcare delivery challenges and provider shortages in outlying counties create unique cost and access patterns across the state.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Des Moines, Iowa City, and Cedar Rapids concentrate most of Iowa's dermatology specialists, while rural counties often lack local access to skin biopsy services. Patients in rural areas may travel 100+ miles for specialized dermatology care, adding transportation costs to their medical expenses. This geographic disparity creates higher effective costs for rural Iowans despite potentially lower procedure prices.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
UnityPoint Health and MercyOne dominate Iowa's hospital systems, with their outpatient dermatology clinics typically charging higher facility fees than independent practices. Smaller independent dermatology groups in Iowa often offer more competitive pricing due to lower overhead costs. Academic medical centers like University of Iowa Hospitals may charge premium rates but offer access to subspecialty expertise.
Insurance Market Competition in Iowa
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield maintains significant market share across Iowa, with UnitedHealthcare and Aetna providing competition primarily in urban markets. Limited insurer competition in rural counties can result in higher negotiated rates and fewer in-network provider options. The state's insurance market structure directly impacts the range of negotiated rates providers accept.
Physician Supply and Demand in Iowa
With 490 active Skin Biopsy providers serving Iowa's 3.2 million residents, the state maintains adequate specialist availability in urban areas but faces shortages in rural regions. This supply-demand imbalance allows urban providers to maintain higher pricing while rural access challenges persist. Wait times for non-urgent skin biopsies typically range from 2-8 weeks depending on location and provider.
Jayant Panwar
CEO, Momentary Labs · San Francisco, CA
Jayant has analyzed healthcare pricing data from CMS Transparency in Coverage files since 2022, covering more than 50 million negotiated rate records across all 50 states. His work focuses on making insurer machine-readable files accessible to patients and researchers.
The cost figures on this page reflect his ongoing work to make this data accessible to patients.
Frequently Asked Questions — Skin Biopsy Costs in Iowa
What is the average cost of a Skin Biopsy visit in Iowa without insurance?
Does Iowa Medicaid cover Skin Biopsy visits?
How do I find an affordable Skin Biopsy near me in Iowa?
What is the difference in cost between an initial consultation and a follow-up visit?
Can I use an HSA or FSA to pay for a Skin Biopsy visit in Iowa?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Skin Biopsy in Iowa?
Click a state to compare costs
Average Visit Cost
Office visit (CPT 11102)
Compare With Other States
| Rank | State | Average↓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Range: $62 – $387 | $200 |
| 2 | Rhode Island Range: $35 – $387 | $187 |
| 3 | New Hampshire Range: $103 – $251 | $182 |
| 4 | Connecticut Range: $47 – $387 | $181 |
| 5 | Wisconsin Range: $60 – $387 | $181 |
| 6 | New York Range: $49 – $387 | $179 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania Range: $34 – $387 | $173 |
| 8 | West Virginia Range: $34 – $387 | $171 |
| 9 | Delaware Range: $33 – $387 | $169 |
| 10 | Nebraska Range: $47 – $242 | $167 |
| 11 | Maine Range: $100 – $206 | $164 |
| 12 | Wyoming Range: $53 – $307 | $150 |
| 13 | Vermont Range: $73 – $249 | $149 |
| 14 | North Dakota Range: $42 – $300 | $146 |
| 15 | Minnesota Range: $33 – $310 | $144 |
| 16 | Iowa Range: $54 – $251 | $143 |
| 17 | Utah Range: $54 – $220 | $130 |
| 18 | District of Columbia Range: $34 – $250 | $127 |
| 19 | Oregon Range: $54 – $242 | $126 |
| 20 | South Dakota Range: $38 – $242 | $123 |
| 21 | New Mexico Range: $46 – $221 | $119 |
| 22 | Illinois Range: $37 – $230 | $118 |
| 23 | Washington Range: $52 – $220 | $118 |
| 24 | Georgia Range: $39 – $219 | $117 |
| 25 | Florida Range: $33 – $229 | $115 |
| 26 | Colorado Range: $43 – $221 | $115 |
| 27 | North Carolina Range: $39 – $209 | $114 |
| 28 | California Range: $80 – $171 | $112 |
| 29 | Indiana Range: $35 – $211 | $110 |
| 30 | Michigan Range: $38 – $201 | $110 |
| 31 | New Jersey Range: $21 – $230 | $108 |
| 32 | Hawaii Range: $37 – $200 | $107 |
| 33 | Texas Range: $34 – $194 | $105 |
| 34 | Maryland Range: $34 – $203 | $104 |
| 35 | South Carolina Range: $34 – $186 | $102 |
| 36 | Nevada Range: $72 – $145 | $101 |
| 37 | Virginia Range: $30 – $193 | $101 |
| 38 | Idaho Range: $47 – $175 | $101 |
| 39 | Oklahoma Range: $32 – $187 | $99 |
| 40 | Missouri Range: $36 – $136 | $94 |
| 41 | Ohio Range: $30 – $164 | $94 |
| 42 | Louisiana Range: $31 – $170 | $94 |
| 43 | Tennessee Range: $36 – $160 | $94 |
| 44 | Kentucky Range: $50 – $144 | $91 |
| 45 | Arkansas Range: $39 – $146 | $90 |
| 46 | Kansas Range: $36 – $140 | $90 |
| 47 | Montana Range: $80 – $108 | $89 |
| 48 | Alabama Range: $31 – $152 | $88 |
| 49 | Mississippi Range: $32 – $152 | $88 |
| 50 | Alaska Range: $80 – $95 | $85 |
| 51 | Arizona Range: $32 – $132 | $78 |