FAQs

Below is a list of some of the most frequently asked questions we receive. Don’t see the answer you might be looking for? No problem, contact us today

Why do I have a co-pay charge on my bill?

Co-pays are due at the time of service. The copay charge is part of an agreement you have with your insurance company. We are required to request you pay your co-pay prior to service. The co-pay due is generally printed on your insurance card.

Why is my copay higher when I see your doctors?

Many insurance companies have a separate specialist copay written in to their policies. In other words, they require a higher copay when you see a specialist. Although we disagree with these higher copays, we are obligated to collect the copay amount your insurance policy assigns.

Why do I have a copay for follow up visits?

Every return visit is a follow up visit, whether it occurs in a few weeks or several months from the initial visit. All office visits, with the following exception, require a copay. The only time you don’t have a copay for a return visit is when you are in a surgical global period. This occurs when you have had a surgical visit and are returning for care related to that surgery such as suture removal or concerns about the incision. If you return to the office during a global period for an unrelated concern or procedure, you will be charged a copay per your agreement with your insurance carrier.

Why can’t you just take off a mole and not send it to pathology?

Although our doctors are very proficient at looking at skin lesions and determining if they are suspicious, they cannot know for sure if a lesion is malignant without a pathological examination. The tissue must be examined to determine whether it is benign or malignant. If malignant, the examination also tells us what type of malignancy and how much it has spread.

The removal of any lesion without pathological examination is not consistent with the standard of care for board certified physicians. The pathology exam is a protection for both the patient and the physician.

The doctor only spent a few minutes with me, why should I be charged for an office visit?

Office visits rates are charged not only for the time involved, but for many other components. The doctor’s visit itself may not be lengthy, but requires the doctor to exam you and make a diagnosis based on many years of education and experience. A diagnosis that is quick for one of our doctors to make, might be puzzling to another who is not skilled in dermatology. Essentially, patients request the doctor to formulate an opinion and treat their condition, whether it takes just a moment or involves a longer time.