Medicare to Cover Costs of Zapping Skin Lesions

Medicare will pay to remove potentially cancer-causing skin lesions, lifting many previous restrictions on the procedure.

Seniors afflicted with common sun-induced lesions, known as actinic keratoses, will have greater access to surgical removal or other treatments, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said. Officials said the policy should be in place by spring.

Previously, some claims had been denied for treating certain parts of the body. In some cases, Medicare would only cover patients with a history of skin cancer.