Rib Cartilage Graft to the Face, Nose, or Ear

Nationwide rates for HCPCS 21230

Takes a piece of cartilage from the patient's own rib and shapes it to rebuild part of the face, chin, nose, or ear, with the harvesting of the rib cartilage included in the same operation. Rib is chosen when a large or strong piece is needed — more than the cartilage inside the nose or ear can supply. The shaped graft is fixed in place and the tissue closed over it.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Rib Cartilage Graft to the Face, Nose, or Ear cost?

$8,015

Typical total for the visit. Nationwide, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $8,015 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $1,096 to the doctor who performs it, and $6,918 to the hospital or surgery center where it takes place. Done somewhere without a facility charge, you pay only the first.

14% physician fee86% facility fee

These are rates insurers have negotiated with providers, not the amount a patient is billed. What you owe depends on your plan's deductible and coinsurance. Based on rates published by 54 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the bill	Who charges it	Typical	Range
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it	The doctor who performs it	$1,096	$794 to $1,585
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center	The hospital or surgery center	$6,918	$3,020 to $11,482

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $6,918 · 10th to 90th $1,096 to $16,982Professionalmedian $1,096 · 10th to 90th $676 to $2,951

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Each curve is scaled to its own total: facility and professional rates are different services, shown together to compare where they cluster. Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier	Facility/Professional	Modifier	Typical Low	Median	Typical High
Aetna Setting Facility Modifier Global Typical Low $1,047.13 Median $5,370.32 Typical High $14,791.08	Facility	Global	$1,047.13	$5,370.32	$14,791.08
BCBS Setting Facility Modifier Global Typical Low $3,630.78 Median $9,772.37 Typical High $18,197.01	Facility	Global	$3,630.78	$9,772.37	$18,197.01
Cigna Setting Facility Modifier Global Typical Low $1,148.15 Median $2,570.40 Typical High $6,025.60	Facility	Global	$1,148.15	$2,570.40	$6,025.60
United Setting Facility Modifier Global Typical Low $2,290.87 Median $6,918.31 Typical High $15,848.93	Facility	Global	$2,290.87	$6,918.31	$15,848.93

What it costs in each state

The same service costs 10.1 times more in Wisconsin than in Maryland. Every bar is a state, most expensive first. Touch or drag across it to read any state, then open that state for its carriers and full range.

Physician feeFacility fee

Touch or drag across the chart to see any state's rate.

WI $11,893MD $1,175

Median negotiated rate in each state, from every insurer that publishes one. States where no insurer publishes a rate for this service are not shown.