Punch skin biopsy cost in Waterloo, IA — inpatient
In Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, 2 hospitals list a cash price for skin biopsy, punch, one lesion as an inpatient: from $171.60 to $308.00, with a median of $239.80. The lowest listed price is at MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center — $68.20 less than the median here. Across Iowa, the median is $308.00 at 30 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities for code 11104, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Mar 31, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center lowest Waterloo, IA · (319) 272-8000 HC Biopsy Skin Punch Single Lesion | $171.60 | $264.00 | $42.21–$3,576.15 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Allen Hospital Waterloo, IA · (319) 235-3941 PR PUNCH BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $308.00 | $385.00 | $42.21–$153.13 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center Waterloo, IA · (319) 272-8000 PR Biopsy Skin Punch Single Lesion | $329.00 | $329.00 | $12.14–$329.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Allen Hospital Waterloo, IA · (319) 235-3941 HC PUNCH BX SKIN SINGLE LESION | $422.35 | $527.93 | $341.57 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $171.60, median $239.80, highest $308.00 — a 1.8× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $239.80 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 1 of 2 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it below every plan's rate. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
A punch biopsy removes a small round core of skin with a tool like a tiny cookie cutter, for a lab to examine. It is used for rashes and suspicious spots.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the procedure and numbing medicine. The visit may be billed separately.