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Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct

North Carolina 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 July 2026.

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

$1,660

Typical facility fee. In North Carolina, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,660 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $851 to $4,786.

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 4 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,660 · 10th to 90th $195 to $7,244
$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $1,660

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Each curve is scaled to its own total: facility and professional rates are different services, shown together to compare where they cluster. Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$331.13
Median
$3,548.13
Typical High
$7,244.36
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$151.36
Median
$724.44
Typical High
$1,258.93
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,951.21
Median
$6,606.93
Typical High
$12,882.50
Wellcare
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$56.23
Median
$56.23
Typical High
$6,165.95

Where North Carolina sits

The same service costs 9.1 times more in Indiana than in Maine. 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.

North Carolina· 39th of 50

$1,660

IN $6,457ME $708

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.