Health insurance question #2

Post date: 2026-05-10 13:06:04

Despite people giving negative feedback about Healthnet, my job is keeping our insurance exactly the same this year and I just got a bill I'd like help with/feedback on.

On March 9 2026 I went to a dermatologist I've been seeing for several years. In the past year-2 years they were bought by a bigger group (Schweiger Dermatology). I went to ask her about better facewash, facial moisturizer, and facial sunscreen options because my skin has been a bit irritated/dry/itchy. She gave me a list of OTC ones (been using Vani-cream stuff and v happy with it yay) and diagnosed me w/ psoriasis around the outside corners of my nose (I ordered an RX cream she sent in but it was kind of irritating so unsure if she made the right diagnosis but whatever about that). We probably chatted about all of this for 7-10 min. She asked if I had anything else and I remembered I had a wart on my hand. She looked at it, diagnosed it as such (billing code says benign lesion). It wasn't itchy or painful or anything else, just kinda annoying. She froze it off which took maybe 30-45 seconds? and put a bandaid on it.

Thanks for reading that very very long paragraph.

I just now received the bill (not sure why I received it so long after the visit but ok whatever). Apparently they charge FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS for an established patient visit that lasts 30-39 minutes that requires a moderate level of medical decision-making. I guess my mistake that I did not know this...wish I had set a timer or something. This sounds outrageous to me. The adjusted rate with Healthnet along with what Healthnet will pay leaves me paying $55 --I honestly don't remember if this is on top of a copay I paid in-office or in lieu but I'll call on Monday.

Then the charge for destruction of anywhere from 1-14 benign lesions with "cryosurgery" is $420, I am left paying $57.29.

To be honest now that I am analyzing the statement properly I guess $112.29 for the visit and wart-freezing is reasonable compared to if I had no insurance (then it'd be $870 out of pocket) to pay for the PA's expertise and the cryo thing but if I look at it from the standpoint of something that took maybe 12 minutes total it seems so expensive.

I fear this has devolved into chatfilter but is there anything to be done other than go on Kaiser which I am reluctant to do b/c of some specialists I see and love?

Is this just the way it is these days with commercial health insurance in America

Please click Here to read the full story.