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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 October 2026.

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

$3,089

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $3,089 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $1,000 to the doctor who performs it, and $2,089 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 8 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$1,000$347 to $1,820
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$2,089$1,318 to $3,981

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $2,089 · 10th to 90th $692 to $6,310Professionalmedian $1,000 · 10th to 90th $263 to $2,344
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $2,089professional $1,000

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
$602.56
Median
$3,388.44
Typical High
$6,760.83
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$218.78
Median
$741.31
Typical High
$1,412.54
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,380.38
Median
$1,737.80
Typical High
$2,290.87
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$346.74
Median
$616.60
Typical High
$2,137.96
Hally Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$575.44
Typical High
$1,380.38
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$416.87
Median
$1,778.28
Typical High
$5,754.40
Medica
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$407.38
Median
$1,737.80
Typical High
$6,165.95
Midlands
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$346.74
Median
$1,096.48
Typical High
$2,137.96
Midlands
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,202.26
Median
$1,737.80
Typical High
$2,290.87
Midlands
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,258.93
Median
$1,258.93
Typical High
$1,258.93
Oscar Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$316.23
Typical High
$1,698.24
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,258.93
Median
$3,548.13
Typical High
$7,413.10
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$199.53
Median
$630.96
Typical High
$1,905.46
Wellmark
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$281.84
Median
$331.13
Typical High
$2,041.74
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
$208.93
Median
$208.93
Typical High
$1,047.13
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$151.36
Median
$194.98
Typical High
$977.24

Where Iowa 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

Iowa· 12th of 51

$3,089

$1,000 physician + $2,089 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.