Patients are being billed for minor procedures as “surgery” to increase profits for doctors and hospitals. Examples include a splinter removal and freezing a skin tag, which were both classified as surgery to charge hundreds of dollars. The use of surgical billing codes for routine procedures has increased, leading to surprise bills for patients. The current payment system values procedures over intellectual work, and there are calls for reform. The incoming presidential administration may consider changes to the payment calculation system. Without reform, patients will continue to face inflated bills for minor interventions classified as surgery.
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Removing a Splinter? Treating a Wart? If a Doctor Does It, It Can Be Billed as Surgery
