Cataract surgery Cost by Hospital

Cataract surgery is a surgical procedure. Prices are from 1392 US hospitals across 51 states, from their machine-readable files.

$3,102median cash price · 1392 hospitals, 51 statestypically $1,180–$9,186 depending on the hospital
≈ 5.7× Medicare · High vs MedicareFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)
$5,965
Cash / self-pay
$3,102
Insurer-negotiated
$2,654
Medicare pays
$547
$1,180$9,186
Median cash $3,102  ·  Medicare $547  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $3,102 — about 5.7× the Medicare rate ($547). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($1,093).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $5,965 list price could save about $2,863 (48%).

Estimate what you’ll pay
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Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
West Penn Hospital Pittsburgh, PA $478 $984 ★ 3/5 203 min 16.3%
Gila Regional Medical Center Silver City, NM $486 $169 ★ 2/5 184 min 15.1%
Colorado River Medical Center Needles, CA $529 — — 128 min 15.0%
Acadian Medical Center Eunice, LA $530 $1,163 ★ 3/5 113 min 15.1%
Vernon Memorial Hospital Viroqua, WI $591 $405 — 131 min 14.4%
Braxton County Memorial Hospital, Inc Gassaway, WV $602 — — 102 min 15.0%
Potomac Valley Hospital Keyser, WV $602 — ★ 1/5 118 min 15.5%
Beloit Health System Beloit, WI $602 $2,429 ★ 3/5 122 min 15.5%
Avera Queen of Peace Mitchell, SD $638 $1,560 ★ 4/5 103 min 14.4%
Harrison Community Hospital Cadiz, OH $658 — — 84 min 15.2%
O'connor Hospital Delhi, NY $668 $1,061 — 88 min 14.7%
Little Falls Hospital Little Falls, NY $668 $874 ★ 2/5 110 min 15.7%
Cobleskill Regional Hospital Cobleskill, NY $668 $1,018 ★ 4/5 109 min 14.6%
Oakleaf Surgical Hospital Altoona, WI $837 $2,286 — — 14.1%
Brookings Health System Brookings, SD $853 $936 ★ 4/5 100 min 13.7%
Memorial Healthcare Owosso, MI $868 $3,800 ★ 3/5 189 min 14.9%
Mount Desert Island Hospital Bar Harbor, ME $871 $568 — 130 min 14.6%
Regions Hospital Saint Paul, MN $914 $2,399 ★ 3/5 226 min 14.1%
Artesia General Hospital Artesia, NM $953 $1,461 — 101 min 15.0%
Grant Memorial Hospital Petersburg, WV $962 — ★ 3/5 105 min 15.4%
Grand River Hospital District Rifle, CO $967 $2,159 — 107 min 14.4%
Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital Shelbyville, TN $995 $1,338 ★ 4/5 123 min 13.6%
Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital Tullahoma, TN $995 $1,338 ★ 3/5 173 min 15.1%
New Orleans East Hospital New Orleans, LA $998 $3,900 — 137 min 14.9%
Lake Region Healthcare Corporation Fergus Falls, MN $1,015 $836 ★ 4/5 147 min 13.8%

CMS rating = overall hospital star rating (1–5); ER wait = median minutes in the emergency department; Readmit = 30-day readmission rate (lower is better) — all from Medicare’s Care Compare; “—” = not reported. Data last updated June 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.

What insurers pay for Cataract surgery

Median in-network negotiated rate by insurer, across hospitals that publish it (cheapest first). Your actual rate depends on your specific plan and deductible. Cash / self-pay for comparison: $3,102; Medicare pays $547.

InsurerHospitalsNegotiated median
Univera 8
$387
$60 – $737
AmeriHealth 120
$888
$633 – $8,727
Amerigroup 107
$892
$850 – $2,365
Geisinger 35
$964
$874 – $2,646
Priority Health 28
$1,281
$470 – $3,012
Medicaid 147
$1,391
$459 – $4,316
Harvard Pilgrim 19
$2,125
$1,037 – $6,216
Tricare / VA 152
$2,220
$652 – $5,077
Molina Healthcare 346
$2,221
$758 – $3,242
Centene / Ambetter 482
$2,250
$850 – $5,360
Sanford Health Plan 28
$2,270
$537 – $4,830
HealthPartners 91
$2,273
$596 – $5,133
Highmark 71
$2,283
$719 – $8,074
Medica 69
$2,286
$602 – $4,291
Devoted Health 91
$2,292
$1,091 – $2,728
UCare 33
$2,304
$527 – $4,570
Security Health Plan 26
$2,313
$694 – $6,692
Medicare 258
$2,332
$687 – $3,057
Independent Health 10
$2,456
$757 – $2,699
UPMC Health Plan 39
$2,493
$789 – $6,620
Humana 581
$2,766
$758 – $7,837
Kaiser Permanente 128
$2,785
$1,158 – $6,834
Coventry 42
$2,865
$857 – $6,528
MVP Health Care 38
$2,881
$605 – $6,635
Bright Health 36
$3,280
$3,114 – $6,880
Health Net 116
$3,345
$1,117 – $8,156
UnitedHealthcare 884
$3,374
$850 – $8,692
Blue Cross Blue Shield 755
$3,530
$850 – $10,089
Anthem 335
$3,549
$766 – $8,374
Workers' Comp / No-Fault 37
$3,586
$1,066 – $4,432
Healthcare Highways 33
$3,650
$3,041 – $5,524
MultiPlan / PHCS network 197
$3,737
$899 – $8,500
SelectHealth 29
$3,743
$1,678 – $5,307
Aetna 770
$3,934
$935 – $9,755
EmblemHealth 43
$5,118
$2,456 – $18,207
Oscar Health 125
$5,926
$3,485 – $8,457
Cigna 594
$6,760
$2,306 – $14,306
AvMed 26
$8,253
$4,281 – $12,418

Negotiated rates are from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); payer names are normalized to major brands, so a brand may span several plans. Estimates — confirm with your insurer.

Where it’s cheapest

StateMedian cash
New Mexico$953
South Dakota$1,020
Vermont$1,314
Puerto Rico$1,500
Mississippi$1,724
Pennsylvania$2,018

Prices by city

Chicago, ILAustin, TXPittsburgh, PADallas, TXHouston, TXNew York, NYPhiladelphia, PASacramento, CABronx, NYCharlotte, NCFort Worth, TXLos Angeles, CANashville, TNSan Antonio, TXArlington, TXBrooklyn, NYKansas City, MOLittle Rock, ARMilwaukee, WISan Francisco, CAAurora, COColorado Springs, COKnoxville, TNNew Orleans, LA

Prices by state

TexasCaliforniaWisconsinOhioNew YorkFloridaPennsylvaniaIllinoisMinnesotaNorth CarolinaColoradoLouisianaMichiganTennesseeNew JerseyIndianaIowaGeorgiaMissouriArkansasWashingtonKansasNebraskaMaineKentuckyVirginiaWest VirginiaOklahomaSouth CarolinaIdahoAlabamaUtahArizonaMassachusettsMississippiOregonNew HampshireNorth DakotaSouth DakotaMontanaNew MexicoVermontNevadaWyomingConnecticutDelawarePuerto Rico

About these prices

Based on prices published by 1392 US hospitals across 51 states, the typical (median) cash price is $3,102, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $5,965, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $2,654, a Medicare rate of about $547. Most cash prices fall between $1,180 and $9,186 — a wide spread, which is exactly why comparing hospitals pays off.

How to save

  • Ask each hospital for its cash / self-pay price — for shoppable services it is often far below the list price.
  • Compare several nearby hospitals; prices for the same service can differ severalfold.
  • Request a written estimate and the billing code (CPT/DRG) before scheduling.
  • Use the Medicare benchmark above to judge whether a quote is reasonable.
  • If you are uninsured, ask about financial assistance or prompt-pay discounts.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Cataract surgery cost without insurance?
The median cash (self-pay) price across 1392 US hospitals is $3,102. Most hospitals fall between $1,180 and $9,186. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.
What does Medicare pay for Cataract surgery?
Medicare pays about $547. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.
Why do Cataract surgery prices vary between hospitals?
Hospitals set their own chargemaster and cash prices and negotiate different rates with each insurer, so two hospitals in the same area can charge very differently for the same service.
Is the cash price lower than using insurance?
Sometimes. If you are uninsured or have a high deductible, the cash/self-pay price can be lower than the insurer-negotiated rate — ask the hospital for both.

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