Whether you need a referral depends on your insurance plan. Many commercial insurance plans allow you to see a dermatologist without a referral, while some HMO plans require one from your primary care physician.

If you're unsure, please contact your insurance company for that information.

Metropolitan Dermatology participates with many major commercial insurance plans and Medicare. Because insurance networks change periodically, we recommend checking our Insurance page or calling our office to confirm that we participate with your specific plan.

If you do not have insurance, we offer affordable self-pay options.

Unlike many dermatology practices where patients may wait several months, we strive to provide appointments within days whenever possible.

Many of our locations offer same-day or next-day appointments for urgent concerns such as:

• Suspicious moles
• Painful rashes
• Skin infections
• Rapidly growing lesions
• Severe acne flare-ups

To help your visit go smoothly, please bring:

• A valid photo ID
• Your insurance card
• A list of current medications
• Previous dermatology records, if available
• Any recent biopsy or pathology reports related to your skin condition

Please arrive approximately 10–15 minutes before your scheduled appointment if you are a new patient.

Scheduling is easy.

You can:

• Schedule your appointment online on our website (this is the quickest way)
• Call any Metropolitan Dermatology location

Our team will help you find the earliest available appointment at the location most convenient for you.

Yes. Many of our offices offer walk-in, same-day, or next-day appointments for urgent skin concerns. We will do our best to accommodate you the same day.

Our board-certified dermatologists and advanced practice providers diagnose and treat a wide range of skin, hair, and nail conditions, including, but not limited to:

• Acne
• Eczema
• Psoriasis
• Rosacea
• Skin cancer
• Suspicious moles
• Warts
• Hair loss
• Vitiligo
• Hidradenitis Suppurativa
• Nail disorders
• Fungal infections
• Rashes
• Contact dermatitis
• Cysts and lipomas

If you have a skin concern not listed here, please contact us—we are happy to help.

Any new or changing mole should be evaluated by a dermatologist.

Warning signs include:

• Asymmetry
• Irregular borders
• Multiple colors
• Diameter larger than approximately 6 mm
• Changes in size, shape, or color
• Bleeding, itching, or pain

Early evaluation is important because melanoma is highly treatable when detected early.

A skin cancer screening is a comprehensive examination of your skin performed by a dermatology provider. During the exam, we evaluate moles, freckles, and other spots for signs of skin cancer or precancerous changes.

Skin cancer screenings are recommended for individuals with:

• Fair skin
• Significant sun exposure
• A history of blistering sunburns
• Numerous moles
• Personal or family history of skin cancer
• A weakened immune system

Mohs micrographic surgery is the most effective treatment for many types of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

The procedure removes skin cancer one layer at a time while each layer is immediately examined under a microscope. This technique preserves as much healthy tissue as possible while achieving the highest cure rates.

Most skin biopsy results are available within 1–2 weeks.

Some specialized tests may require additional time. Once your pathology report has been reviewed by your provider, we will contact you with the results and discuss any additional treatment if necessary.

Your biopsy results will be reviewed by your provider, and our office will contact you once we determine that the results require treatment. If your results indicate a completely harmless condition, we will not contact you.

Depending on the findings, results may be communicated by:

• Telephone
• Secure patient portal
• Follow-up appointment

If additional treatment is needed, our staff will help coordinate the next steps.

If tissue is removed during your visit, it is sent to a pathology laboratory where a physician called a dermatopathologist examines it under a microscope.

The pathology laboratory is a separate medical service from your office visit and may bill independently for analyzing your specimen.

This is standard practice throughout dermatology.

Some medications require approval from your insurance company before they can be dispensed. Unfortunately, more and more insurance companies engage in this practice.

If this is required by your insurance, our clinical staff will submit the requested information to your insurance company. Approval times vary by insurance plan and may take several days or even weeks.

It is not Metropolitan Dermatology, but your insurance company who may require this extra step. While we are eager to help, we are not responsible for approvals or denials of your medication by your insurance company.

Yes. Metropolitan Dermatology proudly accepts Medicare patients at all our locations.

At this time, we do not participate with Medicare Advantage plans administered by UnitedHealthcare.

Currently, Metropolitan Dermatology does not participate with Medicaid plans.

Our group provides affordable self-pay options for patients with Medicaid.

Yes. Our providers care for patients of all ages—from infants to seniors.

Common pediatric conditions we treat include:

• Eczema
• Acne
• Birthmarks
• Molluscum contagiosum
• Warts
• Rashes
• Skin infections

Nevisense® is an advanced, non-invasive technology that helps dermatologists evaluate certain suspicious moles.

Using electrical impedance spectroscopy, Nevisense provides additional information that complements your dermatologist's clinical examination. It does not replace a biopsy when one is medically necessary, but it can assist in evaluating selected pigmented lesions.

Metropolitan Dermatology is proud to be the only practice in New Jersey to offer this innovative technology as part of our commitment to providing advanced skin cancer detection.

To make your experience as convenient as possible, Metropolitan Dermatology securely stores a credit card on file for eligible patients.

Having a card on file allows us to:

• Process copays, deductibles, and coinsurance after your insurance has processed your claim.
• Avoid unnecessary paper statements and billing delays.
• Make the checkout process faster and more convenient.
• Reduce administrative costs, allowing us to focus more resources on patient care.

Your card information is encrypted and securely stored in compliance with industry security standards. Your card will only be charged for patient-responsible balances after your insurance has processed your claim.

Our Billing Department is happy to help with any questions about your account, insurance claims, payment plans, or statements.

Please contact our Billing Department by calling your local office and press #4 during normal business hours or send us a message through the patient portal.

If you have questions about whether a service is covered by your insurance plan, we also encourage you to contact your insurance company directly, as coverage and benefits vary by plan.

Many patients expect that their only responsibility is their office visit copay. However, your insurance plan may also require you to pay a deductible, coinsurance, or other out-of-pocket expenses depending on your specific benefits.

After your insurance company processes your claim, it sends you and us an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) indicating the amount that is your responsibility. By law and by our contracts with insurance companies, we are required to bill patients for these balances.

If you have questions about your Explanation of Benefits or the amount you owe, our Billing Department will be happy to assist you. We also encourage you to contact your insurance company for questions about your specific coverage and benefits.