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Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct

Iowa 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 July 2026.

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

$2,951

Typical facility fee. In Iowa, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,951 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $1,047 to $5,012.

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 5 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $3,388 · 10th to 90th $537 to $6,761Professionalmedian $933 · 10th to 90th $148 to $2,042
$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $3,388professional $933

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
$537.03
Median
$3,388.44
Typical High
$6,760.83
Hally Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$724.44
Typical High
$1,445.44
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$363.08
Median
$1,949.84
Typical High
$6,309.57
Midlands
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$363.08
Median
$1,174.90
Typical High
$2,041.74
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3,467.37
Median
$5,495.41
Typical High
$6,606.93

Where Iowa sits

The same service costs 9.1 times more in Indiana than in Maine. 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.

Iowa· 23rd of 50

$2,951

IN $6,457ME $708

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.