Molluscum Contagiosum Treatment Cost

Typical costs:

• For patients covered by health insurance, out-of-pocket costs for molluscum contagiosum treatment typically consist of a doctor visit copay of $5-$30 or more, and possibly either coinsurance of 10%-50% or more for an office procedure or a prescription drug copay of $10-$85 or more, depending on the plan and whether the drug is generic, preferred or non-preferred. Molluscum contagiosum treatment typically is covered by health insurance.
• For patients not covered by health insurance, the cost of diagnosis typically includes a doctor visit and possibly a skin biopsy that can cost $150 or more.
• Molluscum contagiosum treatment can cost nothing if the condition goes away on its own, but this can take months to more than a year. Or, it can cost $50-$1,500 or more for prescription cream, depending on the medication. For example, Drugstore.com charges about $50 for a tube of generic tretinoin cream and almost $150 for the brand-name equivalent, Retin-A. Generic podofilox solution costs about $95. Drugstore.com charges up to $2,200 or more, depending on the length of treatment, for a course of immune-boosting imiquimod cream.
• Treatment can cost less than $500 for a doctor to remove the nodules with liquid nitrogen or another chemical. And it can cost about $1,000-$8,000 or more to have nodules surgically removed -- usually on the lower end in a doctor's office and the higher end in a hospital. For example, Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center^[1] in Nebraska charges less than $200, not including doctor fee, for destruction of a molluscum contagiosum lesion on the genitals or anus using chemicals. Surgical excision in a doctor's office can cost hundreds of dollars, but the cost can reach thousands in a hospital. For example, St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center charges^[2] more than $4,000 for electrodessication of a lesion and up to more than $8,000 for surgical excision.

• Molluscum contagiosum can be diagnosed with a visual examination and confirmed with a skin biopsy.
• In many cases, especially if the patient does not have a compromised immune system, a doctor will recommend allowing the infection to go away on its own.
• In some cases -- especially if cosmetic issues are a concern or the infection is contagious-- a doctor might remove individual bumps by cryosurgery, removing the core of the bump with a scalpel, or other methods. The doctor might also prescribe a topical medication such as imiquimod cream^[3] , or tretinoin cream^[4] .
• The National Institutes of Health offers an overview^[5] of molluscum contagiosum and treatment.

• To prevent spread to others, patients should cover the affected body part with either clothing or a bandage.

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers a locator^[6] for clinics with sliding fee scales based on income.
• Some drug manufacturers offer patient assistance programs. Any patient without prescription drug coverage who also is not eligible for Medicare typically qualifies for Together Rx Access^[7] , a discount card that offers 25%40% off many brand-name drugs.

• A pediatrician, family doctor or dermatologist can diagnose and treat molluscum contagiosum. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a peditrician locator. The American Medical Association offers a doctor locator^[8] . And the American Academy of Dermatology offers a dermatologist locator^[9] .
• In patients with HIV, molluscum contagiosum can be difficult to treat. These patients should be under the care of an HIV specialist.

1.  tp.chi.acelogicus.net/nese/Default.aspx
2.  tp.chi.acelogicus.net/nese/Default.aspx
3.  www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a698010.html
4.  www.medicinenet.com/tretinoin_cream/article.htm
5.  www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001829/
6.  findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx
7.  www.togetherrxaccess.com/p/prescription-savings/about-together-rx-access/enroll.aspx
8.  extapps.ama-assn.org/doctorfinder/recaptcha.jsp
9.  www.aad.org/find-a-derm

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