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Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct

South Dakota 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?

$2,047

Typical total for the visit. In South Dakota, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,047 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $759 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,288 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 7 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$759$339 to $1,660
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,288$1,096 to $1,514

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,288 · 10th to 90th $229 to $1,820Professionalmedian $759 · 10th to 90th $224 to $2,239
$200$500$1K$2Kfacility $1,288professional $759

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
$158.49
Median
$794.33
Typical High
$4,365.16
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$275.42
Typical High
$891.25
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,230.27
Median
$1,258.93
Typical High
$1,548.82
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$338.84
Median
$457.09
Typical High
$2,454.71
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$229.09
Median
$1,288.25
Typical High
$1,819.70
Medica
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$616.60
Median
$1,348.96
Typical High
$3,090.30
Midlands
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$363.08
Median
$1,659.59
Typical High
$1,659.59
Midlands
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,202.26
Median
$1,288.25
Typical High
$1,737.80
Sanford Health Plan
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$251.19
Median
$1,047.13
Typical High
$1,621.81
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,513.56
Median
$1,513.56
Typical High
$1,819.70
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$616.60
Typical High
$2,238.72
Wellmark
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$281.84
Median
$338.84
Typical High
$2,137.96
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
$102.33
Median
$208.93
Typical High
$660.69
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$95.50
Median
$194.98
Typical High
$616.60

Where South Dakota 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

South Dakota· 35th of 51

$2,047

$759 physician + $1,288 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.