Removal of Benign and Malignant Skin Lesions

Medicare covers removal of malignant skin lesions and actinic keratoses when NCD criteria are met. Removal of certain benign lesions (seborrheic keratoses, sebaceous cysts, viral warts) is covered only when one or more documented clinical criteria are present (bleeding, intense itching, pain, inflammation, obstruction/vision restriction, diagnostic uncertainty, or recurrent trauma), with additional wart-specific circumstances (periocular with conjunctivitis, recent warts in immunosuppressed patients). Cosmetic removals and removals lacking required documentation are excluded, and excisions require documentation explaining why excision was medically necessary.

"Removal of any malignant skin lesion is considered medically necessary and covered."

Sign up to see full coverage criteria, indications, and limitations.