Precancerous spot removal cost in St. Louis, MO — inpatient
In St. Louis, MO-IL, 3 hospitals list a cash price for destruction of a precancerous skin lesion (actinic keratosis), first lesion as an inpatient: from $152.25 to $457.80, with a median of $152.25. The lowest listed price is at Mercy Hospital Lincoln and 1 other hospital. Across Missouri, the median is $117.00 at 23 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 3 cities for code 17000, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jun 12, 2026 and Jun 12, 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 St. Louis, MO-IL.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Elsberry, MO Destruction Premalignant Lesion 1st | $152.25 | $203.00 | $81.20–$182.70 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospitals East Communities lowest Washington, MO Destruction Premalignant Lesion 1st | $152.25 | $203.00 | $81.20–$172.55 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Elsberry, MO Destruction Premalignant Lesion 1st | $152.25 | $203.00 | $81.20–$182.70 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Elsberry, MO Destruction Premalignant Lesion 1st | $152.25 | $203.00 | $81.20–$182.70 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Elsberry, MO Destruction Premalignant Lesion 1st | $152.25 | $203.00 | $81.20–$182.70 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Elsberry, MO Destruction Premalignant Lesion 1st | $152.25 | $203.00 | $81.20–$182.70 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Gateway Regional Medical Center Granite City, IL · (618) 798-3000 DESTRCT PREMAL LES | $457.80 | $763.00 | $763.00 | 40% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $152.25, median $152.25, highest $457.80 — a 3.0× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 9 facilities here, median $152.25 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 3 of 3 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 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 it is
This code covers destroying a precancerous skin spot, such as an actinic keratosis, usually by freezing with liquid nitrogen. It is billed for the first lesion.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the procedure and numbing medicine. The visit may be billed separately.