JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

With utilization of Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS) continuing to expand, understanding the cost transparency and variability of this procedure across hospitals and geographic regions is crucial. New federal legislation called The Price Transparency Final Rule went into effect in 2021, requiring hospitals to disclose the prices for at least 300 services (although not specifically for MMS). Utilizing Turquoise Health, a company that compiles nationwide hospital pricing information, we calculated the percentage of academic hospitals reporting cash and commercial insurance prices for MMS and compared median prices by payment type. For reference, we identified Medicare-reported facility and physician fees for MMS, adjusted by state. The findings indicate that fewer than half of hospitals reported both cash and commercial insurance prices for MMS and that median prices varied substantially across payor types and regions, providing initial characterization of MMS pricing and implying a need for improved pricing transparency.