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Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct

Oklahoma 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?

$2,879

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,879 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $741 to the doctor who performs it, and $2,138 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$741$200 to $1,000
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$2,138$1,000 to $3,715

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $2,138 · 10th to 90th $407 to $5,495Professionalmedian $741 · 10th to 90th $166 to $3,090
$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $2,138professional $741

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
$933.25
Median
$3,090.30
Typical High
$8,317.64
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$169.82
Median
$912.01
Typical High
$933.25
BCBS Oklahoma
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$537.03
Median
$2,511.89
Typical High
$4,365.16
BCBS Oklahoma
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$338.84
Typical High
$1,096.48
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$870.96
Median
$1,230.27
Typical High
$1,445.44
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$173.78
Median
$354.81
Typical High
$870.96
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$346.74
Median
$1,023.29
Typical High
$5,495.41
Medica
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$602.56
Median
$3,090.30
Typical High
$6,165.95
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$933.25
Median
$2,951.21
Typical High
$6,165.95
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$489.78
Typical High
$851.14
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
$125.89
Median
$131.83
Typical High
$707.95
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$117.49
Median
$123.03
Typical High
$660.69

Where Oklahoma 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

Oklahoma· 14th of 51

$2,879

$741 physician + $2,138 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.