Does Medicare cover dermatology?

Part B covers doctor services that are medically necessary. At a dermatologist, that includes:

• Visits to check and treat a skin problem, like a rash, an infection, or a spot that changed.
• Biopsies, when the doctor takes a small piece of skin to test for cancer.
• Treating precancer spots called actinic keratoses. Medicare's national rule covers removing them with no extra limits.
• Skin cancer surgery, including Mohs surgery when your doctor shows it is needed. Mohs removes cancer layer by layer and checks each layer under a microscope. Rules in at least one region say the record must show why Mohs was chosen, such as the cancer's size, location, or hard-to-see edges.
• Psoriasis care, including ultraviolet light therapy.
• Removing growths that cause a medical problem, like a lipoma or a wart that hurts, bleeds, or spreads.

In short: if a skin problem affects your health, Medicare treats a dermatology visit like any other doctor visit.

Medicare has a list of preventive services that it covers for people with no symptoms. It includes screenings for several cancers, like colon, breast, lung, and prostate cancer. Skin cancer screening is not on the list.

That means a full-body skin check with no reason behind it may not be covered. A visit is covered when there is a medical reason, like:

• A mole or spot that is new, growing, or changing.
• A sore that bleeds or will not heal.

Before a skin check, tell the office why you are coming in. Ask if they expect Medicare to pay.

By law, Medicare does not pay for care that only improves your looks. You pay the full cost of:

• Cosmetic treatments, like wrinkle care or treatments for aging skin.
• Removing harmless growths that cause no problem, like a mole or skin tag you do not like.
• Cosmetic surgery, unless it repairs an injury or fixes how a body part works.

If your doctor thinks Medicare will not pay for a service, they should tell you before they do it.

• With Original Medicare: in most cases, you do not need a referral to see a dermatologist. You can see any doctor who takes Medicare.
• With Medicare Advantage: you may need a referral from your main doctor. You may also need to use a dermatologist in the plan's network. Check your plan's rules first.

Learn more about how the two options differ in Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

Medicare does not publish one set price for a dermatology visit. Here is how your share works.

• With Original Medicare: after you meet the $283 Part B deductible for 2026, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for visits, biopsies, and treatment.
• Use a doctor who accepts assignment. That means they take Medicare's approved amount as full payment. If they do not, you may pay more.
• If you have a Medigap plan: every plan pays some or all of your 20% share.
• If you have Medicare Advantage: your plan sets its own specialist copay. Check your plan's Evidence of Coverage.
• If you have Medicaid too: Medicaid may pay your share. Ask your state Medicaid office.

For more on Part B costs, see Medicare Part B.