US Health Care Costs

Laser treatment after cataract surgery (YAG)

CPT 66821 · Surgery · hospital facility charge

At the 146 hospitals whose price files we have read so far, the typical cash price is $1,078, and most charge between $424 and $2,875 (the middle 80%; price files contain errors, so the extremes are left out). Pick a state to compare its hospitals.

Estimate what you would pay

$1,078typical cash price
$2,006typical commercial insurer rate
$2,155typical list price
146hospitals in 31 states so far
Typical cash price by state

Every state

StateHospitalsTypical cash priceLowest cashHighest cashTypical insurer price
Arizona1–––$2,050
California15$835$252$2,788$1,150
Colorado1$911$911$911$1,528
Delaware1–––$2,554
Florida16$2,051$2,051$2,051$2,263
Georgia6$424$424$722$2,030
Iowa1–––$1,401
Idaho2$1,535$1,535$1,535$1,228
Illinois7$1,780$894$2,667$2,710
Indiana2–––$2,156
Kansas2–––$868
Kentucky2$2,203$2,203$2,203$1,329
Michigan3$756$756$1,910$720
Minnesota1$285$285$285$1,107
Missouri5$766$192$8,545$501
Mississippi1–––$1,217
North Carolina5–––$668
New Jersey7$2,216$607$6,839$2,573
Nevada1–––$2,138
New York3$2,808$1,616$4,000$2,160
Ohio10$763$585$1,641$2,664
Oklahoma1–––$1,217
Pennsylvania8$1,164$1,164$1,181$3,031
South Carolina4–––$1,359
South Dakota1–––$309
Tennessee3$2,875$2,875$2,875$1,647
Texas25–––$2,006
Utah2$1,148$1,039$1,257$1,188
Virginia7$1,078$1,078$1,078$2,550
Washington2–––$1,819
Wisconsin1–––$2,224
146 hospitals so far: only hospitals whose price files we've read are listed, and more are added every night. The price is the hospital's part; the doctor usually bills separately.

Common questions

How much does laser treatment after cataract surgery (YAG) cost at a hospital?

At 51 hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for laser treatment after cataract surgery (YAG) is $1,078, and most charge between $424 and $2,875. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $2,006. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.

Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for laser treatment after cataract surgery (YAG)?

At 27 of the 50 hospitals that publish both, the cash price is lower than the typical insurer rate. Remember that with insurance you pay only your share of that rate once your deductible is met, and that cash payments usually don't count toward your deductible.

Does the price include the doctor?

No. These are the hospital's own charges, often called the facility fee. The doctors involved, such as the surgeon, the anesthesiologist or the radiologist who reads a scan, usually send a separate bill.

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