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Small Cut To Open The Tear Drainage Opening

South Dakota 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?

$170

Typical negotiated rate. In South Dakota, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $170 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $170 from a physician practice, and about $148 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 7 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$170$102 to $200
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$148$100 to $282

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $148 · 10th to 90th $89 to $4,365Professionalmedian $170 · 10th to 90th $89 to $251
$100$200$500$1K$2Kfacility $148professional $170

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
$2,290.87
Typical High
$4,365.16
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$87.10
Median
$102.33
Typical High
$181.97
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$50.12
Median
$398.11
Typical High
$398.11
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$177.83
Median
$251.19
Typical High
$309.03
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$79.43
Median
$131.83
Typical High
$263.03
Medica
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$95.50
Median
$186.21
Typical High
$741.31
Midlands
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$229.09
Median
$234.42
Typical High
$251.19
Sanford Health Plan
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$109.65
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$204.17
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$812.83
Median
$812.83
Typical High
$812.83
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$102.33
Median
$190.55
Typical High
$281.84
Wellmark
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$190.55
Median
$234.42
Typical High
$269.15

Where South Dakota 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.

South Dakota· 11th of 51

$170

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.