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Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct

Alabama rates for HCPCS 68816

Opens a blocked tear duct by passing a fine probe down the drainage channel from the eyelid towards the nose, then inflating a small balloon inside it to stretch the passage open. It treats a constantly watery, sticky eye caused by tears that cannot drain away.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct cost?

$2,674

Typical total for the visit. In Alabama, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,674 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $724 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,950 to the hospital or surgery center where it takes place. Done somewhere without a facility charge, you pay only the first.

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 4 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$724$302 to $891
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,950$1,413 to $1,950

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,950 · 10th to 90th $891 to $2,884Professionalmedian $724 · 10th to 90th $186 to $1,479
$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $1,950professional $724

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$645.65
Median
$1,230.27
Typical High
$2,398.83
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$302.00
Median
$575.44
Typical High
$1,479.11
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$229.09
Median
$288.40
Typical High
$1,122.02
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$213.80
Median
$269.15
Typical High
$1,047.13
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,949.84
Median
$1,949.84
Typical High
$1,949.84
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$588.84
Median
$794.33
Typical High
$1,071.52
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$724.44
Median
$1,096.48
Typical High
$1,548.82
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$257.04
Median
$575.44
Typical High
$977.24
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$758.58
Median
$1,737.80
Typical High
$4,073.80
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$549.54
Typical High
$851.14
1 more rate with less common billing modifiers

A modifier changes what was billed, for example a reduced or repeated service. Each of these modifiers carries under 10% of the published rates for this code. Modifier combinations, and modifiers with fewer than 30 rates for a carrier, are not listed.

Insurance Carrier
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$2,951.21
Median
$2,951.21
Typical High
$2,951.21

Where Alabama sits

The same service costs 3.5 times more in Colorado 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.

Physician feeFacility fee

Alabama· 19th of 51

$2,674

$724 physician + $1,950 facility

CO $4,667MT $1,347

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.