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Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct

Maryland 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?

$501

Typical physician fee. In Maryland, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $501 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $162 to $1,000.

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.

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,230 · 10th to 90th $676 to $2,570Professionalmedian $200 · 10th to 90th $145 to $1,072
$200$500$1K$2Kfacility $1,230professional $200

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
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$186.21
Median
$446.68
Typical High
$1,174.90
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$181.97
Typical High
$870.96
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$131.83
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$812.83
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$144.54
Median
$162.18
Typical High
$162.18
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$645.65
Median
$1,122.02
Typical High
$2,089.30
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$144.54
Median
$478.63
Typical High
$794.33
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$851.14
Median
$977.24
Typical High
$1,348.96
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$758.58
Median
$1,380.38
Typical High
$2,570.40
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$501.19
Typical High
$912.01
Wellpoint
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$141.25
Typical High
$1,412.54

Where Maryland sits

The same service costs 7.6 times more in Alaska than in Kentucky. 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.

Maryland· 42nd of 51

$501

AK $1,862KY $245

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.