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Eardrum Incision And Drainage Under General Anesthesia

North Carolina rates for HCPCS 69421

A small incision is made in the eardrum to drain fluid trapped in the middle ear and, if needed, to inflate the eustachian tube, while the patient is under general anesthesia. This version is used when general anesthesia is required to safely perform the procedure, most often in young children.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Eardrum Incision And Drainage Under General Anesthesia cost?

$1,170

Typical total for the visit. In North Carolina, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,170 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $170 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,000 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$170$148 to $282
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,000$219 to $2,630

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,000 · 10th to 90th $148 to $6,918Professionalmedian $170 · 10th to 90th $145 to $457
$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $1,000professional $170

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Each curve is scaled to its own total: facility and professional rates are different services, shown together to compare where they cluster. Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$1,258.93
Typical High
$7,585.78
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$275.42
Median
$870.96
Typical High
$6,025.60
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$165.96
Typical High
$467.74
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$91.20
Typical High
$91.20
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$169.82
Median
$204.17
Typical High
$436.52
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$169.82
Median
$234.42
Typical High
$371.54
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$144.54
Median
$199.53
Typical High
$302.00
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$151.36
Median
$151.36
Typical High
$380.19
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,737.80
Median
$3,548.13
Typical High
$7,079.46
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$181.97
Typical High
$338.84
Wellcare
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8,317.64
Median
$8,317.64
Typical High
$45,708.82
Wellcare
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,122.02
Median
$1,122.02
Typical High
$1,288.25

Where North Carolina sits

The same service costs 19.5 times more in Nebraska 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

North Carolina· 46th of 50

$1,170

$170 physician + $1,000 facility

NE $8,225MT $422

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.