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Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct

Arkansas 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?

$1,894

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,894 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $575 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,318 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$575$219 to $871
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,318$1,023 to $2,138

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,318 · 10th to 90th $832 to $2,951Professionalmedian $575 · 10th to 90th $166 to $1,148
$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $1,318professional $575

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
$177.83
Median
$1,174.90
Typical High
$2,454.71
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$177.83
Median
$575.44
Typical High
$707.95
BCBS Arkansas
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,258.93
Median
$2,137.96
Typical High
$2,951.21
BCBS Arkansas
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$165.96
Median
$218.78
Typical High
$1,148.15
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$831.76
Median
$1,023.29
Typical High
$1,258.93
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$275.42
Median
$323.59
Typical High
$954.99
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$794.33
Median
$1,122.02
Typical High
$3,388.44
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$588.84
Typical High
$1,071.52
2 more rates 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
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$134.90
Median
$165.96
Typical High
$524.81
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$125.89
Median
$154.88
Typical High
$489.78

Where Arkansas 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

Arkansas· 43rd of 51

$1,894

$575 physician + $1,318 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.