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Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct

New Mexico 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?

$2,812

Typical total for the visit. In New Mexico, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,812 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $468 to the doctor who performs it, and $2,344 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$468$263 to $955
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$2,344$1,380 to $6,457

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $2,344 · 10th to 90th $1,000 to $8,913Professionalmedian $468 · 10th to 90th $186 to $1,202
$50$200$1K$5Kfacility $2,344professional $468

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
$165.96
Median
$1,380.38
Typical High
$7,762.47
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$165.96
Median
$269.15
Typical High
$1,348.96
BCBS New Mexico
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,819.70
Median
$6,606.93
Typical High
$10,232.93
BCBS New Mexico
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$186.21
Median
$389.05
Typical High
$1,023.29
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$741.31
Median
$1,479.11
Typical High
$2,290.87
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$194.98
Median
$467.74
Typical High
$1,174.90
Molina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$33.11
Median
$229.09
Typical High
$1,148.15
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$741.31
Median
$1,513.56
Typical High
$3,090.30
Providence
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$223.87
Median
$467.74
Typical High
$1,174.90
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,047.13
Median
$2,344.23
Typical High
$7,585.78
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$208.93
Median
$549.54
Typical High
$1,230.27
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
$123.03
Median
$186.21
Typical High
$1,023.29
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$114.82
Median
$173.78
Typical High
$954.99

Where New Mexico 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

New Mexico· 15th of 51

$2,812

$468 physician + $2,344 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.