go back

Balloon Opening of a Blocked Tear Duct

Utah 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?

$3,887

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $3,887 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $575 to the doctor who performs it, and $3,311 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$575$229 to $692
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$3,311$1,000 to $4,786

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $3,311 · 10th to 90th $257 to $6,457Professionalmedian $575 · 10th to 90th $55 to $813
$50$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $3,311professional $575

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
$257.04
Median
$2,884.03
Typical High
$4,786.30
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$257.04
Median
$691.83
Typical High
$741.31
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,230.27
Median
$1,288.25
Typical High
$1,318.26
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$257.04
Median
$489.78
Typical High
$812.83
Molina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$53.70
Median
$575.44
Typical High
$776.25
Regence BlueShield
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3,630.78
Median
$4,786.30
Typical High
$6,918.31
Regence BlueShield
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$194.98
Median
$549.54
Typical High
$1,174.90
Select Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,412.54
Median
$1,412.54
Typical High
$1,412.54
U of Utah Health Plan
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$1,023.29
Typical High
$1,445.44
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,000.00
Median
$3,311.31
Typical High
$7,079.46
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$524.81
Typical High
$1,148.15
3 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
$194.98
Median
$251.19
Typical High
$524.81
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$181.97
Median
$234.42
Typical High
$489.78
Regence BlueShield
Setting
Facility
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$5,495.41
Median
$7,244.36
Typical High
$10,471.29

Where Utah 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

Utah· 5th of 51

$3,887

$575 physician + $3,311 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.