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Cost of balloon catheter dilation of tear ducts in Colorado

The average cash price for balloon catheter dilation of tear ducts care in Colorado is $1,871 at a surgery center versus $3,272 at an outpatient hospital. While a surgery center may offer fewer complimentary services, and may not have the full range of support services that outpatient hospital provides, it may still be worth the (43%) you'd save when comparing the cost of balloon catheter dilation of tear ducts performed at an outpatient hospital. Read More

Average cash price in Colorado

A common balloon catheter dilation of tear ducts at surgery center facility in Colorado includes

  Units Avg Cash price

Provider

Ophthalmologist visit provider fee

First-time visit Standard
1 $118

Provider fee to probe nasal-tear duct

With balloon catheter dilation Bilateral Procedure
1 $308

Facility

Surgery center fee to probe nasal-tear duct

Standard Standard
1 $1,069

Anesthesia

Anesthesiologist fee to be "put under" for procedure

Level 3 Standard
1 $206

Anesthesiologist time to be "put under" for procedure

Per minute Standard
83 $170
Total average cash price   $1,871.27

A common balloon catheter dilation of tear ducts at outpatient hospital facility in Colorado includes

  Units Avg Cash price

Provider

Ophthalmologist visit provider fee

First-time visit Standard
1 $118

Provider fee to probe nasal-tear duct

With balloon catheter dilation Bilateral Procedure
1 $308

Facility

Outpatient Hospital fee to probe nasal-tear duct

level 3 Standard
1 $2,470

Anesthesia

Anesthesiologist fee to be "put under" for procedure

Level 3 Standard
1 $206

Anesthesiologist time to be "put under" for procedure

Per minute Standard
83 $170
Total average cash price   $3,272.22

Balloon dacryoplasty is a surgical procedure where a special tube is inserted into the tear duct and then carefully inflated. Balloon catheter dilation opens up tear ducts that were obstructed. Tear ducts can be obstructed in children due to a birth abnormality. In adults, tear ducts are commonly obstructed due to infection or injury.

Balloon dacryoplasty is used after several other treatment options have failed to work. Before getting a balloon catheter dilation of your tear duct, the doctor should try probing and irrigation to resolve the issue. You can compare the costs of these procedures before visiting your doctor’s office.

Tear duct surgery with balloon catheter dilation is not painful. Before the procedure, the doctor uses a numbing medication to prevent you from feeling any discomfort. However, the numbing medication may sting while it is being injected. For extremely young patients, the procedure may be done under general anesthesia.

Balloon dacryoplasty is a very quick procedure. The doctor inserts the special catheter into the blocked tear duct and inflates the balloon for 90 seconds at the point of obstruction. The balloon is then deflated, and the area examined. The doctor may re-inflate the balloon for another 60 seconds to improve results. You should be able to go home the same day as your balloon catheter dilation.

An ophthalmologist usually treats blocked tear ducts. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor with specialized training to understand diseases that affect the eyes. They have four years of training after medical school, after completing a one-year medical internship. Ophthalmologists can continue to train for another two years in a subspecialty like pediatrics or glaucoma.

You should recover from a balloon dacryoplasty in a little over a week. After the procedure, your doctor will prescribe antibiotic eye drops as well as steroid eye drops to minimize inflammation. You need to use these for one week after your procedure. If you don’t have prescription insurance coverage, a customized health insurance plan can help cover the costs of your medications.

Since balloon catheter dilation is minimally invasive, there is usually little pain after the procedure. You may have some minor swelling, but this should subside in a few days.

You should be able to see normally after a balloon dacryoplasty. The first few days after the procedure, your vision may still be affected as the excess tears in your lacrimal sack slowly drain off. Once this has emptied, your vision should return to normal. Your doctor will continue to monitor you for about six months after the procedure to make sure the tear duct stays open.

Your tear duct may become re-blocked after a balloon dacryoplasty. Most patients have long-term success following the procedure. However, up to 30% of patients may have a recurrence of their blocked tear duct. In cases where balloon dacryoplasty has failed, your doctor can recommend a different surgical procedure called a dacryocystorhinostomy.

About the balloon catheter dilation of tear ducts Average Cash Prices

This procedure is most commonly performed at either a surgery center or an outpatient hospital.

Surgery centers, also known as ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), are independent, licensed medical facilities that are governed by distinct regulatory requirements compared with a hospital. Procedures performed at an ASCs are often less expensive than when they are performed at an outpatient hospital, but they typically offer fewer complimentary services, and may not have the full-range of support services that a hospital provides.

Outpatient facilities are outpatient departments or clinics that may be within or next to a hospital, but is owned and run by the affiliated hospital. These facilities can perform surgical treatments and procedures that do not require an overnight stay. Procedures performed at an outpatient hospital are often more expensive than when they are performed in an ambulatory surgery center, but outpatient hospitals may offer more complimentary and support services for patients because they are connected to the hospital system.

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

The site is not a substitute for medical or healthcare advice and does not serve as a recommendation for a particular provider or type of medical or healthcare.