go back

Small Cut To Open The Tear Drainage Opening

Virginia 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?

$129

Typical negotiated rate. In Virginia, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $129 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $123 from a physician practice, and about $977 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 8 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$123$89.13 to $148
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$977$129 to $3,631

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $977 · 10th to 90th $89 to $7,079Professionalmedian $123 · 10th to 90th $81 to $708
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $977professional $123

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
$89.13
Median
$2,818.38
Typical High
$7,079.46
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$81.28
Median
$123.03
Typical High
$812.83
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,137.96
Median
$2,570.40
Typical High
$2,951.21
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$134.90
Typical High
$194.98
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$199.53
Typical High
$295.12
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$691.83
Typical High
$1,047.13
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$154.88
Typical High
$154.88
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$123.03
Typical High
$213.80
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$89.13
Median
$120.23
Typical High
$151.36
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$309.03
Median
$309.03
Typical High
$316.23
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$93.33
Median
$128.82
Typical High
$208.93
Sentara
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$70.79
Median
$128.82
Typical High
$4,073.80
Sentara
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$144.54
Typical High
$4,073.80
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$1,122.02
Typical High
$2,454.71
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$72.44
Median
$104.71
Typical High
$194.98

Where Virginia 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.

Virginia· 29th of 51

$129

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.