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Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct

Illinois 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?

$2,735

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,735 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $646 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 6 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$646$224 to $1,023
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$2,089$1,585 to $3,467

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $2,089 · 10th to 90th $955 to $5,370Professionalmedian $646 · 10th to 90th $162 to $1,380
$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $2,089professional $646

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
$467.74
Median
$1,819.70
Typical High
$5,623.41
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$173.78
Median
$707.95
Typical High
$1,412.54
BCBS Illinois
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,621.81
Median
$2,187.76
Typical High
$3,715.35
BCBS Illinois
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$158.49
Median
$741.31
Typical High
$1,380.38
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$954.99
Median
$1,995.26
Typical High
$2,570.40
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$186.21
Median
$398.11
Typical High
$1,258.93
Hally Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$165.96
Median
$933.25
Typical High
$1,905.46
Hally Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$100.00
Typical High
$100.00
Hally Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$186.21
Median
$190.55
Typical High
$1,047.13
Molina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$33.11
Median
$33.11
Typical High
$33.11
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,047.13
Median
$2,454.71
Typical High
$6,165.95
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$194.98
Median
$602.56
Typical High
$1,479.11
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
$120.23
Median
$281.84
Typical High
$707.95
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$109.65
Median
$263.03
Typical High
$660.69

Where Illinois 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

Illinois· 18th of 51

$2,735

$646 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.