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Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct

Missouri 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?

$2,045

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,045 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $347 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,698 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$347$195 to $933
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,698$1,000 to $3,162

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,698 · 10th to 90th $447 to $4,898Professionalmedian $347 · 10th to 90th $162 to $3,090
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $1,698professional $347

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
$954.99
Median
$3,715.35
Typical High
$7,762.47
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$162.18
Median
$831.76
Typical High
$1,047.13
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$446.68
Median
$1,621.81
Typical High
$3,890.45
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$165.96
Median
$194.98
Typical High
$346.74
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$245.47
Median
$295.12
Typical High
$524.81
BCBS Kansas City
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$776.25
Typical High
$912.01
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$851.14
Median
$1,412.54
Typical High
$3,801.89
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$151.36
Median
$380.19
Typical High
$1,096.48
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$54.95
Median
$1,479.11
Typical High
$5,248.07
Medica
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$660.69
Median
$3,090.30
Typical High
$6,165.95
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,000.00
Median
$2,818.38
Typical High
$5,495.41
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$190.55
Median
$630.96
Typical High
$1,348.96
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
$251.19
Typical High
$776.25
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$112.20
Median
$234.42
Typical High
$724.44

Where Missouri 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

Missouri· 36th of 51

$2,045

$347 physician + $1,698 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.