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 |  | With Health Insurance: Copay + 10%-50% of Procedure Cost |  | Without Health Insurance: $100-$1,000+ |
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A colposcopy allows a doctor to view the cervix with a special magnifying device to further assess abnormal changes revealed by a Pap test. The doctor can look at abnormal cells and take a tissue sample for biopsy. The exam also can be used to investigate inflammation, excessive bleeding or benign growths.
Typical costs: |
- For patients covered by health insurance, typical out-of-pocket costs would include a doctor visit copay and coinsurance of 10 to 50 percent for the procedure -- and, if a biopsy is done, a laboratory copay. A colposcopy typically would be covered by health insurance.
- For patients not covered by health insurance, a colposcopy typically costs about $100 -$500 or more, with an additional $200 -$300 laboratory fee if a biopsy is done as part of the procedure -- for a total of $500 -$600 or more if the procedure is done in an office setting. But it could reach $1,000 or more, including facility fee, if done in a hospital. For example, ITriage[1] estimates the cost at about $290. NOVA Women's Healthcare[2] in Virginia charges $350 -- or $550 with IV sedation. And the National Association of County & City Health Officials[3] estimates the average cost of a colposcopy in the private sector at $300.
- A biopsy would add $300 or more to the cost. However, if multiple biopsies are required, that will increase the cost, depending on how many are done. At Virginia Mason Medical Center[4] in Seattle, a colposcopy with biopsy in a hospital setting would include a provider fee of about $295 -$445 and a facility fee of about $475 -$715 for a total of about $770 -$1,160.
Related articles: Pap Test, Pelvic Exam
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What should be included: |
- For the exam, the patient will lie on the table as for a pelvic exam, and the doctor will insert a speculum to make it easier to view the vagina and cervix. Using a colposcope, a special magnifying device that is placed just outside the vagina, the doctor will look closely at abnormal areas. The doctor might remove some tissue for biopsy, in which case, lab results should be available within several days to a week.
- The patient typically must avoid sex, douching or using tampons for 24 hours before a colposcopy.
- The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists offers an overview of a colposcopy.
Additional costs: |
- Depending on the results of the colposcopy and biopsy, a procedure to remove abnormal cervical cells, such as cryotherapy or LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure), might be required. Planned Parenthood[5] has an overview of procedures to prevent cervical cancer. Depending on the procedure and individual case, cost can range from hundreds to $1,000 or more. For example, NOVA Women's Healthcare[6] in Virginia charges $350 for cryosurgery and $900 for LEEP, or $1,100 with IV sedation.
Discounts: |
- Planned Parenthood[7] offers pelvic exams and other reproductive health services on a sliding scale based on income.
- The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services also has a tool[8] to find a federally funded health clinic. If a nearby clinic does not offer gynecological care, they can provide a referral.
- College students often can get steeply discounted services at the student health clinic. For example the University of California-San Diego[9] charges students $20 for a colposcopy and about $20 per specimen for a laboratory fee if a biopsy is done.
Shopping for a colposcopy: |
- A colposcopy can be performed by a board-certified gynecologist. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists offers a doctor finder[10] by state; make sure the doctor is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology[11] . However, whenever cancer is suspected, it is a good idea to consult a gynecologic oncologist. The Gynecologic Cancer Foundation[12] offers a gynecologic oncologist finder. Gynecologic oncology[13] is a subspecialty of obstetrics and gynecology; it requires board-certification plus three to four years of additional training and certification in the subspecialty after taking a rigorous exam.
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Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
| Posted by: a user in Winston-Salem, NC. | Posted: September 16th, 2023 01:09PM |
| Medical Center: Novant Health Womancare | Physician: Dr. Jaleema Speaks |
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| Posted by: AvaMonica in Boynton Beach, FL. | Posted: November 19th, 2021 11:11AM |
| Medical Center: Women\'s Healthcare | Physician: Dr K |
No clue that United Health would view this as surgery. Thought it was preventative. Total bill was 1500. Had to pay deductible. This was essentially a very expensive pap. |
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| Posted by: A City Woman in Bayside, NY. | Posted: July 2nd, 2021 09:07PM |
| Medical Center: North Shore OB/GYN | Physician: Dr. Randi Rothstein |
Total bill was $648.00. My insurance (Cigna) paid for $346.17. It was billed as "Surgery - Female Genital Sos." Was charged afterwards via online portal, Square Care. |
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| Posted by: D S in johnstown, PA. | Posted: March 11th, 2021 08:03AM |
| Medical Center: Conemaugh Medical / East hills Primary | Physician: Many |
This service was wayy to expensive in my opinion. For a 20-25 minute total visit I had to pay out of pocked 756 - 187 to OBGYN, 229 to pathologist, then 340$ for facility fee or the hospital. I don't even know what that charge was for. The bills are getting ridiculous, there needs to be some transparency. No one ever said this would be charged as a surgery, I thought this would be similar to a pap smear, which is essentially what it is, with the little added procedure of getting some tissue. |
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| Posted by: Rkma in Palo Alto, CA. | Posted: December 17th, 2019 09:12PM |
| Medical Center: Stanford Medical Hospital | Physician: |
Before insurance: mysterious "outpatient" fees=$4700
Pathology labs=$1500
I was in and out in 45 minutes. Insurance covered a portion, but I'm paying 2800 out of pocket. This is absurd. |
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| Posted by: Gina P in Riverview, FL. | Posted: October 23rd, 2019 04:10PM |
| Medical Center: Women’s Care Riverview fl | Physician: Zayda Chamorro |
Went in for routine Pap smear was told my results had a hpv , then was told I needed a colposcopy. Provider charge for colposcopy was $588, I paid $338.02 after insurance adjustment. Biopsy which cost was never disclosed to me till I received the bill was $836.00, after insurance adjustment $439.00, more than the procedure itself. They also gave me a pregnancy test which I never was informed I was getting , saw it on the bill for $30.00 . I’m 52 been in menopause for 18 months, when I asked them why they gave it to me they said it’s there office policy to test anyone under 60.Feel this company is charging high and unnecessary lab fees without informing patients of the cost before procedure is performed and all tests were performed in their lab in Tampa. |
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| Posted by: Elaine B. in Rockville, MD. | Posted: June 27th, 2019 05:06AM |
| Medical Center: Women’s Health Specialists | Physician: Dr. Amy Levav |
Dr. Amy Levav was a great doctor. I highly recommend coming to her. $264.18 even with insurance, I’m glad it wasn’t a lot more. |
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| Posted by: LH in WNY in Buffalo, NY. | Posted: March 8th, 2019 04:03AM |
| Medical Center: Community Health Center | Physician: Claudia J. Emerson |
Colposcopy billed as "surgery" $148.00 (contracted amount $44.94; Practitioner visit $210.00 (contracted amount $51.92); copay total: $50.00. |
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| Posted by: a user in Denton, TX. | Posted: January 5th, 2019 06:01PM |
The office charged me $129.15. The lab with biopsies charged me $420.37. I have insurance, but hadn't met my deductible. The doctor's office was in-network, but apparently the lab they use is not. I then paid $30 for the follow-up visit for the doctor to tell me the results. |
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| Posted by: Emmyjaneg in Portland, OR. | Posted: May 8th, 2018 07:05PM |
| Medical Center: Adventist hospital | Physician: Women’s healthcare clinic of oregon |
$1,615.5 charges for the lab work. Office visit and procedure was $419. Insurance Charles it all up to my deductible and paid a big fat 0!
Do not get this done. I’m 38, and was told it was important to my health. It is not, paying for a place to live and being able to do that is important to my health. I won’t be making my bills for a long time due to this mistake. So much for preventive women’s Healthcare. It’s bullshit. |
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| Posted by: Kari2018 in Portland, OR. | Posted: April 1st, 2018 05:04PM |
| Medical Center: Bridgeview Women\'s Health | Physician: Doom, Carmen |
New Doctor office visit: Charged $125, $25 for copay. Surgery costs charged: $375, $252.30 applied to deductible. Total paid for Doctor's office visit: $277.30. Lab charges: $1908.75 ($1023.75 for Laboratory, $885 for Typing diseased cells, another $354 for same Typing, and $531 also for Typing diseased cells). So far all seems covered by insurances but still waiting for Cascade Pathology statement. Insurance: UnitedHealthCare, Choice Plus with a $6000 deductible and $6250 Max Out-of-pocket. Will need a LEEP soon, I will post costs when procedure is done. |
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| Posted by: msj in Santa Clara, CA. | Posted: October 28th, 2017 01:10PM |
| Medical Center: Palo Alto Medical Foundation | Physician: |
Contracted rates with Aetna.
$593.00 for Colposcopy, $30.00 Co-Pay, $212.00 per pathology slide/reading.
$593.00 + $30.00 + $424.00 = $1047.00.
Insurance paid $593.00 for Colposcopy. The rest was applied to deductible. |
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| Posted by: Melissa0113 in Port Jefferson, NY. | Posted: July 10th, 2017 03:07AM |
| Medical Center: | Physician: San Roman |
Charges submitted to insurance $1089.00...copay $150 |
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| Posted by: VC in CHICAGO, IL. | Posted: February 6th, 2017 09:02AM |
| Medical Center: Northwestern Medicine | Physician: |
$2614 billed including urine lab test, Vag exam and Microscopic examination. Insurance paid about 80% so I was still accountable for $500+. Unexpectedly expensive. Wish prices are a lot more transparent and comparable |
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| Posted by: woman in Portland, OR. | Posted: December 23rd, 2016 04:12PM |
| Medical Center: Interstate Medical Office | Physician: Dr. Lisa Molina |
Cost of procedure with Dr. Molina: $476, paid $50 copay. Cost of pathology services: $630 to apparently 'receive/take' the biopsy and $705 to have someone examine and evaluate it. Billed $700 of that combined amount. Completely blindsided by cost, wouldn't have agreed to it had I been warned or thought to grill my insurance beforehand, but no, they make it seem like it's routine preventative care. This is what you get for being proactive about your health, ladies! |
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| Posted by: Miss pam in Greer, SC. | Posted: August 1st, 2016 04:08AM |
| Medical Center: Carolina woman's health | Physician: Dr. Sikes |
Doctor bill $ 184. , labs $340.00 colposcopy/ surgery $ 335.00.
Contractual amount through my insurance brought the bill down to $401. Which went to my deductible. So I paid out of pocket |
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| Posted by: J.N in Media, PA. | Posted: June 27th, 2015 08:06PM |
| Medical Center: Planned Parenthood | Physician: |
That's the established price they have. |
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| Posted by: Lynn A. Levey in Carlsbad, NM. | Posted: May 16th, 2015 10:05PM |
| Medical Center: Women's Health | Physician: Stephen Schneberger MD |
The OB/Gyn was aware that I could no longer afford my Cobra (which had increased to $798/mo) and was going to be a SELF PAY.
The $3000 bill did not include charges for the procedure which took place in the office and two additional office visits. |
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| Posted by: Chantelle in Wichita, KS. | Posted: October 13th, 2014 08:10PM |
| Medical Center: Center for Women's Health | Physician: |
Total Amount Billed - $22,656.13 Contracted Amount per Insurance
Including both procedure and biopsy pathology.
Amount billed to me- $7,453.11
Amount cover by insurance- $15,203.02 |
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| Posted by: a user in San Francisco, CA. | Posted: September 3rd, 2014 04:09PM |
| Medical Center: USCF Woman's Care | Physician: |
Colposicopy $678, Office visit $517, insurance covered $346.14 Totally unexpected and expensive. |
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| Posted by: Akamefula in Rockville, MD. | Posted: July 14th, 2014 11:07AM |
| Medical Center: Rockville Ambulatory Surgery | Physician: Charles A. Obioha MD |
This is the total of what my insurance (Cigna)finally paid for my wife and I for this procedure.The submitted amounts were $19,621.50 each. This does not include our payments to the clinic of over $450. I am still being asked to pay over $1800 for some other anesthesia.This makes no damn sense. |
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| Posted by: a user in brandon, FL. | Posted: July 12th, 2014 02:07AM |
| Medical Center: womens care fl - gynocology and associat | Physician: dr heidi arnold |
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| Posted by: ghjkurd in new haven, CT. | Posted: July 12th, 2013 08:07PM |
| Medical Center: Northeast Medical Group | Physician: dr Michelle Rhee |
300 for the visit. 1400 for pathology labs. Outrageous. |
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| Posted by: kzg in Chicago, IL. | Posted: April 23rd, 2013 12:04PM |
| Medical Center: Association For Women\'s Health Cr | Physician: David Baum, MD |
Total Amount Billed - $1,371.88rnContracted Amount per Insurance - $664.47rnApplied to deductible - $707.41rnrnIncluding both procedure and biopsy pathology. |
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| Posted by: E.D. in Douglasville, GA. | Posted: October 17th, 2012 01:10PM |
| Medical Center: Gynecology Issues | Physician: Eleanor Glaspy Benton |
Amount billed $250.00
Contracted amount per insurance $131.30
Amount applied to deductible $131.30 |
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External Resources: |
- /www.itriagehealth.com/procedures/59/Colposcopy%20(exam%20cervix)
- www.novahc.com/services/gynecology/fees.html
- www.naccho.org/topics/modelpractices/database/practice.cfm?practiceID=84
- /www.virginiamason.org/workfiles/pdfdocs/Minor_Procedures.pdf
- www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/womens-health/cryotherapy-leep-4275.htm
- www.novahc.com/services/gynecology/fees.html
- www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/womens-health/cryotherapy-leep-4275.htm
- bphc.hrsa.gov/technicalassistance/taresources/slidingscale.html
- studenthealth.ucsd.edu/pdfdocs/colposcopy.pdf
- www.acog.org/About_ACOG/Find_an_Ob-Gyn
- www.abog.org/
- www.foundationforwomenscancer.org/find-a-gynecologic-oncologist/
- www.certificationmatters.org/abms-member-boards/obstetrics-and-gynecology.aspx
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