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Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct

Oregon 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?

$2,016

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,016 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $537 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,479 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 8 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$537$275 to $1,413
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,479$1,230 to $1,862

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,479 · 10th to 90th $891 to $5,754Professionalmedian $537 · 10th to 90th $219 to $1,905
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $1,479professional $537

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
$3,890.45
Median
$6,025.60
Typical High
$8,709.64
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$223.87
Median
$575.44
Typical High
$1,412.54
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,202.26
Median
$2,089.30
Typical High
$2,754.23
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$194.98
Median
$537.03
Typical High
$2,344.23
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$263.03
Median
$371.54
Typical High
$2,089.30
Moda Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$346.74
Median
$1,584.89
Typical High
$8,709.64
Moda Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$234.42
Median
$645.65
Typical High
$1,584.89
Pacific Source
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$891.25
Median
$1,412.54
Typical High
$1,698.24
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$389.05
Median
$1,905.46
Typical High
$2,754.23
Providence
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$79.43
Median
$457.09
Typical High
$1,995.26
Regence BlueShield
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$5,754.40
Median
$8,128.31
Typical High
$9,332.54
Regence BlueShield
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$295.12
Median
$501.19
Typical High
$1,698.24
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,230.27
Median
$1,862.09
Typical High
$12,022.64
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$263.03
Median
$741.31
Typical High
$2,290.87
5 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
$181.97
Median
$251.19
Typical High
$1,047.13
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$169.82
Median
$234.42
Typical High
$977.24
Moda Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$181.97
Median
$251.19
Typical High
$1,047.13
Moda Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$169.82
Median
$234.42
Typical High
$977.24
Regence BlueShield
Setting
Facility
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$8,709.64
Median
$12,302.69
Typical High
$13,803.84

Where Oregon 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

Oregon· 39th of 51

$2,016

$537 physician + $1,479 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.