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Small Cut To Open The Tear Drainage Opening

Tennessee 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?

$135

Typical negotiated rate. In Tennessee, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $135 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $129 from a physician practice, and about $1,349 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$129$100 to $145
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$1,349$603 to $2,399

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,349 · 10th to 90th $269 to $3,236Professionalmedian $129 · 10th to 90th $91 to $191
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $1,349professional $129

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
$229.09
Median
$1,778.28
Typical High
$4,073.80
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$128.82
Typical High
$190.55
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$147.91
Typical High
$147.91
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$724.44
Median
$1,479.11
Typical High
$2,089.30
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$93.33
Median
$134.90
Typical High
$208.93
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$125.89
Typical High
$275.42
Lucent Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$54.95
Median
$1,348.96
Typical High
$1,348.96
Lucent Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$977.24
Median
$977.24
Typical High
$1,949.84
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$229.09
Median
$794.33
Typical High
$2,137.96
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$89.13
Median
$114.82
Typical High
$204.17

Where Tennessee 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.

Tennessee· 28th of 51

$135

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.