Does Your Health Plan Cover Skin Cancer Screenings?

Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers reported. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year than all other cancers combined.

Having skin cancer screenings should be added to your health exam checklist, especially if you are at higher risk of developing skin cancer or have had it previously. Early detection can dramatically increase your chances of survival if you are diagnosed with skin cancer.

Related: Learn the Facts about Melanoma

Most often, your annual wellness exam will include a skin examination done by your provider. Additionally, you’ll be asked several questions related to your and your family’s history of skin cancer.

You can also conduct self-examinations beforehand and come with questions about any specific moles, marks, or skin growths that catch your eye. Depending on the outcomes of your exam, you may be referred to a dermatologist or in more extreme situations, a medical oncologist, to receive an official diagnosis and begin treatment.

Related: 5 Tips for Preventing Skin Cancer

Does my health insurance plan cover skin cancer screenings?

A lingering question you may have is whether your health plan covers these critical screenings. Most health plans do cover some or all skin cancer screenings as part of your annual wellness visit; however, it does depend on the health plan. You can learn more by contacting your health insurer.

Some questions you may want to consider asking your insurer are:

• Are skin cancer screenings covered in full? If not, what are the out-of-pocket costs I’ll be responsible for?
• If I happen to need follow-up visits or tests, will the health plan cover it, and will my out-of-pocket expenses be the same? If not, what will the costs be?
• If I see an out-of-network provider or need to go to a clinic or facility that is out-of-network, what will the costs be?
• Do I need any pre-approval for these screenings?

Select Health members can contact a representative of the Member Advocates team at 800-538-5038 or 855-442-3234 for Medicaid members for more information about coverage.

Ready to schedule a consult with a skin cancer specialist? Select Health members can visit the Find a Doctor page to locate a provider nearby and in-network.