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Small Cut To Open The Tear Drainage Opening

Alabama rates for HCPCS 68440

This is a minor procedure that makes a small snip in the tiny opening at the inner corner of the eyelid where tears normally drain. It is done to widen a narrowed drainage opening and relieve excess tearing.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Small Cut To Open The Tear Drainage Opening cost?

$141

Typical negotiated rate. In Alabama, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $141 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $126 from a physician practice, and about $617 from a hospital or other facility. The two figures are alternatives, not parts of one bill.

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 5 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Where it's billed changes the price

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$126$100 to $191
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$617$479 to $1,047

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $617 · 10th to 90th $398 to $1,585Professionalmedian $126 · 10th to 90th $87 to $214
$100$200$500$1K$2Kfacility $617professional $126

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
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$562.34
Median
$954.99
Typical High
$2,398.83
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$87.10
Median
$128.82
Typical High
$223.87
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$131.83
Median
$131.83
Typical High
$147.91
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$436.52
Median
$524.81
Typical High
$691.83
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$645.65
Median
$776.25
Typical High
$1,047.13
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$67.61
Median
$97.72
Typical High
$102.33
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$83.18
Median
$109.65
Typical High
$338.84
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$229.09
Median
$645.65
Typical High
$1,548.82
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$79.43
Median
$97.72
Typical High
$125.89

Where Alabama sits

The same service costs 3.0 times more in Wyoming than in Montana. 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.

Alabama· 23rd of 51

$141

WY $309MT $102

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.