go back

Small Cut To Open The Tear Drainage Opening

North Carolina 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?

$115

Typical negotiated rate. In North Carolina, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $115 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $115 from a physician practice, and about $339 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 6 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$115$95.50 to $151
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$339$117 to $1,349

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $339 · 10th to 90th $100 to $5,495Professionalmedian $115 · 10th to 90th $89 to $316
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $339professional $115

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
$100.00
Median
$371.54
Typical High
$6,918.31
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$87.10
Median
$102.33
Typical High
$218.78
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$57.54
Median
$57.54
Typical High
$57.54
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$125.89
Typical High
$331.13
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$131.83
Typical High
$251.19
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$95.50
Median
$123.03
Typical High
$239.88
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$79.43
Median
$79.43
Typical High
$79.43
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$363.08
Median
$891.25
Typical High
$2,089.30
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$79.43
Median
$107.15
Typical High
$213.80
Wellcare
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$56.23
Median
$56.23
Typical High
$1,348.96
Wellcare
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$977.24
Median
$1,949.84
Typical High
$1,949.84

Where North Carolina 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.

North Carolina· 40th of 51

$115

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.