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Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct

Louisiana 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?

$2,098

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,098 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $513 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,585 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 5 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$513$204 to $977
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,585$1,202 to $3,715

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,585 · 10th to 90th $912 to $5,495Professionalmedian $513 · 10th to 90th $178 to $1,175
$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $1,585professional $513

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
$457.09
Median
$1,513.56
Typical High
$3,548.13
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$812.83
Typical High
$1,202.26
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$151.36
Median
$275.42
Typical High
$912.01
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$257.04
Typical High
$851.14
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,202.26
Median
$2,187.76
Typical High
$5,623.41
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$190.55
Median
$436.52
Typical High
$1,174.90
Christus
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$39.81
Median
$39.81
Typical High
$39.81
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$676.08
Median
$1,202.26
Typical High
$2,511.89
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$165.96
Median
$323.59
Typical High
$891.25
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$851.14
Median
$1,548.82
Typical High
$5,754.40
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$144.54
Median
$512.86
Typical High
$1,122.02

Where Louisiana 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

Louisiana· 31st of 51

$2,098

$513 physician + $1,585 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.