Shave skin biopsy cost in Iowa
In Iowa, 28 hospitals publish a cash price for tangential (shave-style) skin biopsy, one lesion: from $34.30 to $413.60, with a median of $203.53. The lowest price is at Winneshiek Medical Center (Decorah). The highest price is 12.1× the lowest.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 11102. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Sep 23, 2026.
Lowest$34.30Winneshiek Medical Center
Median$203.53half pay less
Highest$413.60in Iowa
Lowest saves$169.23vs the median
Hospitals in Iowa, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winneshiek Medical Center lowest Decorah · Decorah, IA Biopsy of related skin growth, first growth | $34.30 | $49.00 | Jul 17, 2026 source file |
| Avera Holy Family Hospital Estherville · Estherville, IA | $42.68 | $44.00 | — source file |
| MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center Waterloo · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA HC Biopsy Skin Tangential Single Lesion | $86.45 | $133.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center Davenport · Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL Biopsy Skin, Subq Tissue Single | $109.20 | $182.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Des Moines · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA PR Biopsy Skin Tangential Single Lesion | $109.94 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital and Clinic West Union · West Union, IA HCHG 11102 TANGENTIAL BIOPSY OF SKIN; SINGLE LESION | $120.58 | $203.00 | Jun 27, 2026 source file |
| Alegent Health - Mercy Hospital, Corning Iowa Corning · Corning, IA HC TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $128.64 | $268.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center Davenport · Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL GHS PC BIOPSY SKIN SUBQ TISSUE, SINGLE | $130.80 | $218.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Alegent Health Community Memorial Hospital of Missouri Valley, Iowa Missouri Valley · Omaha, NE-IA HC TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $131.32 | $268.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs Council Bluffs · Omaha, NE-IA HC TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $132.30 | $315.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center Mason City · Mason City, IA HC Biopsy Skin Tangential Single Lesion | $136.50 | $210.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Jennie Edmundson Memorial Hospital Council Bluffs · Omaha, NE-IA Tangential bx of skin sgle lesion | $166.50 | $555.00 | Feb 15, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - New Hampton New Hampton · New Hampton, IA HC Biopsy Skin Tangential Single Lesion | $178.75 | $275.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Buena Vista Regional Medical Center Storm Lake · Storm Lake, IA PR TANGNTL BX SKIN SINGLE LES | $188.00 | $235.00 | — source file |
| Central Community Hospital Elkader · Elkader, IA HC Biopsy Skin Tangential Single Lesion (Restricted Method II CAH) | $219.05 | $337.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Allen Hospital Waterloo · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA PR TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $244.80 | $306.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center Grinnell · Grinnell, IA PR TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $244.80 | $306.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Methodist Hospital Cedar Rapids · Cedar Rapids, IA PR TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $244.80 | $306.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| St Luke'sJones Regional Medical Center Anamosa · Cedar Rapids, IA PR TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $244.80 | $306.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center Sioux City · Sioux City, IA-NE-SD PR TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $244.80 | $306.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| The Finley Hospital Dubuque · Dubuque, IA PR TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $244.80 | $306.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Trinity Medical Center Bettendorf · Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL PR TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $244.80 | $306.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Trinity Regional Medical Center Fort Dodge · Fort Dodge, IA PR TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $244.80 | $306.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Unity Healthcare Muscatine · Muscatine, IA PR TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $244.80 | $306.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical Des Moines · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA PR TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $244.80 | $306.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health Marshalltown Marshalltown · Marshalltown, IA PR TANGENTIAL BIOPSY SKIN SINGLE LESION | $244.80 | $306.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital, Centerville Centerville · Centerville, IA PR Biopsy Skin Tangential Single Lesion | $337.00 | $337.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Sanford Sheldon Medical Center Sheldon · Sheldon, IA SURG 11102 TANGENTIAL BX SKIN SINGLE LESION | $413.60 | $517.00 | Mar 4, 2026 source file |
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 3 | $109.20 | $130.80 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 3 | $131.32 | $132.30 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 2 | $109.94 | $177.37 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 2 | $86.45 | $165.62 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 1 | $244.80 | $244.80 |
| Centerville, IA | 1 | $337.00 | $337.00 |
| Corning, IA | 1 | $128.64 | $128.64 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 1 | $244.80 | $244.80 |
| Decorah, IA | 1 | $34.30 | $34.30 |
| Dubuque, IA | 1 | $244.80 | $244.80 |
| Elkader, IA | 1 | $219.05 | $219.05 |
| Estherville, IA | 1 | $42.68 | $42.68 |
| Fort Dodge, IA | 1 | $244.80 | $244.80 |
| Grinnell, IA | 1 | $244.80 | $244.80 |
| Marshalltown, IA | 1 | $244.80 | $244.80 |
| Mason City, IA | 1 | $136.50 | $136.50 |
| Muscatine, IA | 1 | $244.80 | $244.80 |
| New Hampton, IA | 1 | $178.75 | $178.75 |
| Sheldon, IA | 1 | $413.60 | $413.60 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 1 | $244.80 | $244.80 |
| Storm Lake, IA | 1 | $188.00 | $188.00 |
| West Union, IA | 1 | $120.58 | $120.58 |
What it is
In this biopsy a thin layer of a skin spot is shaved or scooped off with a blade or curette and sent for testing. It is used to check moles, growths or rashes for skin cancer or other conditions.
What the price covers
The price covers taking the sample from one lesion. The pathologist's exam of the sample and the office or clinic visit are usually billed separately.
Tangential (shave-style) skin biopsy, one lesion in other states
- Alabama$401.15
- Alaska$370.39
- Arizona$567.43
- Arkansas$168.75
- California$576.80
- Colorado$730.08
- Connecticut$256.85
- Delaware$615.18
- Florida$665.60
- Georgia$560.04
- Hawaii$424.20
- Idaho$556.00
- Illinois$225.47
- Indiana$358.15
- Kansas$677.52
- Kentucky$322.31
- Louisiana$125.64
- Maine$74.93
- Maryland$232.00
- Massachusetts$279.30
- Michigan$166.38
- Minnesota$253.44
- Mississippi$179.52
- Missouri$180.03
- Montana$151.60
- Nebraska$138.40
- Nevada$330.90
- New Hampshire$100.37
- New Jersey$249.69
- New Mexico$157.74
- New York$435.00
- North Carolina$206.55
- North Dakota$174.27
- Ohio$300.00
- Oklahoma$173.57
- Oregon$180.05
- Pennsylvania$551.32
- Rhode Island$454.00
- South Carolina$277.00
- South Dakota$380.40
- Tennessee$124.32
- Texas$360.34
- Utah$212.45
- Vermont$159.95
- Virginia$251.40
- Washington$269.50
- West Virginia$224.25
- Wisconsin$176.70
- Wyoming$211.68
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.