Precancerous spot removal cost in Chicago, IL
In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 18 hospitals list a cash price for destruction of a precancerous skin lesion (actinic keratosis), first lesion: from $47.31 to $3,231.29, with a median of $122.85. The lowest listed price is at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital and 1 other hospital — $75.54 less than the median here. Across Illinois, the median is $164.21 at 40 hospitals.
- The median here, $122.85, is 33% below the US median of $184.50.
- That is 0.6× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($204.98).
- 7 of 18 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Cash prices at 18 facilities across 11 cities for code 17000, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Nov 10, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 1, 2025 and Nov 5, 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gottlieb Memorial Hospital lowest Melrose Park, IL · (708) 681-3200 Dstr Premalig Les 1st Les File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $47.31 | $249.00 | $171.71–$2,252.00 | 81% |
| MacNeal Hospital lowest Berwyn, IL · (708) 783-9100 Dstr Premalig Les 1st Les File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $47.31 | $249.00 | $35.63–$293.79 | 81% |
| Loretto Hospital Chicago, IL · (773) 626-4300 DESTRUCT PREMALG LESION File of Nov 5, 2026 · source file | $51.91 | $86.52 | $51.91–$475.60 | 40% |
| Loyola University Medical Center Maywood, IL · (708) 216-9000 Dstr Premalig Les 1st Les File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $57.27 | $249.00 | $88.40–$262.45 | 77% |
| Morris Hospital Morris, IL · (815) 942-2932 Destruction of precancer skin growth, 1 growth File of Oct 27, 2026 · source file | $64.72 | $269.00 | $62.00–$277.07 | 76% |
| Humboldt Park Health Chicago, IL · (773) 292-8200 Destruction of precancer skin growth, 1 growth File of Sep 29, 2026 · source file | $79.38 | $283.50 | $93.56–$297.68 | 72% |
| John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital Chicago, IL · (312) 864-6000 PF-DEST LESN PREMALIG 1ST File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $88.90 | $127.00 | $36.58–$101.60 | 30% |
| Presence Saint Joseph Hospital - Chicago Chicago, IL · (773) 665-3000 HC DESTR,PREMALIGN LES, 1ST LESION File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $108.57 | $329.00 | $154.63 | 67% |
| NorthShore University HealthSystems Skokie Hospital Skokie, IL Destruct Premalg Lesion File of Jan 1, 2025 · source file | $122.85 | $189.00 | $25.52–$103.19 | 35% |
| NorthShore University HealthSystems Glenbrook Hospital Glenview, IL Destruct Premalg Lesion File of Jan 1, 2025 · source file | $122.85 | $189.00 | $25.52–$103.19 | 35% |
| La Rabida Children's Hospital Chicago, IL · (773) 363-6700 DESTRUCTION PREMALIGNANT LESIO File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $174.44 | $174.44 | — | — |
| Northshore University Healthsystem - Evanston Hospital Evanston, IL · (847) 570-2000 DESTRUCT PREMALG LESION File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $200.00 | $200.00 | — | — |
| Endeavor Health Highland Park Hospital Highland Park, IL DESTRUCT PREMALG LESION File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $200.00 | $200.00 | — | — |
| Swedish Covenant Health Chicago, IL · (773) 878-8200 DESTRUCT PREMALG LESION File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $200.00 | $200.00 | — | — |
| Loretto Hospital Chicago, IL · (773) 626-4300 DESTRUCTION PREMALIG LES,1 WC+1 more line at this price File of Nov 5, 2026 · source file | $285.36 | $475.60 | $51.91–$475.60 | 40% |
| NorthShore University HealthSystems Skokie Hospital Skokie, IL Destruct Pre-Malig Lesions 1st File of Jan 1, 2025 · source file | $297.05 | $457.00 | $61.70–$249.52 | 35% |
| NorthShore University HealthSystems Glenbrook Hospital Glenview, IL Destruct Pre-Malig Lesions 1st File of Jan 1, 2025 · source file | $297.05 | $457.00 | $61.70–$249.52 | 35% |
| John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital Chicago, IL · (312) 864-6000 DEST LESN PREMALIG 1ST LES File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $359.10 | $513.00 | $36.58–$410.40 | 30% |
| Endeavor Health Highland Park Hospital Highland Park, IL HB DESTRUCT PRE-MALIG LESIONS 1ST File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $491.00 | $491.00 | — | — |
| Northshore University Healthsystem - Evanston Hospital Evanston, IL · (847) 570-2000 HB DESTRUCT PRE-MALIG LESIONS 1ST File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $491.00 | $491.00 | — | — |
| Swedish Covenant Health Chicago, IL · (773) 878-8200 HB DESTRUCT PRE-MALIG LESIONS 1ST File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $491.00 | $491.00 | — | — |
| The University of Chicago Medical Center Chicago, IL · (773) 702-9785 Hc Destruction, Premalignant Lesions, 1St Lesion+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $523.00 | $523.00 | — | — |
| Vista Medical Center East Waukegan, IL · (847) 360-3000 DESTRCT PREMAL LES File of Mar 31, 2025 · source file | $763.00 | $763.00 | $107.58–$310.79 | — |
| Shriners Childrens - Chicago Chicago, IL · (773) 622-5400 DESTRUCT PREMALG LESION File of Mar 19, 2026 · source file | $919.87 | $919.87 | $46.69–$301.00 | — |
| Northwest Health - Porter Valparaiso, IN · (219) 983-8300 DESTROY BENIGN/PREMAL LESION File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $3,231.29 | $11,967.74 | $44.83–$10,052.90 | 73% |
Outpatient: lowest $47.31, median $122.85, highest $3,231.29 — a 68.3× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 8 facilities here, median $187.22. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 9 of 13 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 4 it is 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 precancerous spot removal is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Precancerous spot removal explained.