Cataract surgery Cost by Hospital

Cataract surgery is a surgical procedure. Prices are from 1440 US hospitals across 51 states, from their machine-readable files.

$3,102median cash price · 1440 hospitals, 51 statestypically $1,175–$9,175 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
$2,631
Medicare pays
$547
$1,175$9,175
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 ★ 3/5 208 min —
Gila Regional Medical Center Silver City, NM $486 $169 ★ 2/5 191 min —
Colorado River Medical Center Needles, CA $529 — — 121 min —
Acadian Medical Center Eunice, LA $530 $1,163 ★ 3/5 116 min —
Vernon Memorial Hospital Viroqua, WI $591 $405 — 138 min —
Braxton County Memorial Hospital, Inc Gassaway, WV $602 — — 102 min —
Potomac Valley Hospital Keyser, WV $602 — ★ 1/5 119 min —
Beloit Health System Beloit, WI $602 $2,429 ★ 3/5 129 min —
Avera Queen of Peace Mitchell, SD $638 $1,560 ★ 4/5 104 min —
Harrison Community Hospital Cadiz, OH $658 — — 82 min —
O'connor Hospital Delhi, NY $668 $1,061 — 95 min —
Little Falls Hospital Little Falls, NY $668 $874 ★ 2/5 109 min —
Cobleskill Regional Hospital Cobleskill, NY $668 $1,018 ★ 4/5 111 min —
Henderson County Community Hospital Lexington, TN $716 $2,011 — 151 min —
Bayside Community Hospital Anahuac, TX $771 $437 — 106 min —
Oakleaf Surgical Hospital Altoona, WI $837 $2,286 — — —
Brookings Health System Brookings, SD $853 $936 ★ 4/5 97 min —
Memorial Healthcare Owosso, MI $868 $3,800 ★ 3/5 181 min —
Mount Desert Island Hospital Bar Harbor, ME $871 $568 — 130 min —
Doctor's Center De San Juan Santurce, PR $875 $1,415 — — —
Regions Hospital Saint Paul, MN $914 $2,399 ★ 3/5 231 min —
Artesia General Hospital Artesia, NM $953 $1,461 — 99 min —
Grant Memorial Hospital Petersburg, WV $962 — ★ 3/5 110 min —
Grand River Hospital District Rifle, CO $967 $2,159 — 110 min —
Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital Shelbyville, TN $995 $1,338 ★ 4/5 125 min —

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 October 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 7
$387
$60 – $737
AmeriHealth 135
$892
$633 – $8,727
Amerigroup 111
$892
$850 – $2,365
Geisinger 36
$964
$874 – $2,646
Priority Health 27
$1,254
$470 – $3,012
Medicaid 151
$1,350
$461 – $4,316
Harvard Pilgrim 18
$2,129
$1,037 – $6,270
UPMC Health Plan 53
$2,183
$428 – $6,287
Tricare / VA 155
$2,194
$630 – $4,639
Molina Healthcare 369
$2,221
$683 – $3,242
Highmark 77
$2,233
$575 – $7,565
Centene / Ambetter 500
$2,250
$850 – $5,360
Sanford Health Plan 28
$2,270
$537 – $4,830
HealthPartners 93
$2,279
$611 – $5,133
Devoted Health 107
$2,281
$1,091 – $2,690
Medica 71
$2,286
$667 – $4,401
UCare 34
$2,304
$532 – $4,570
Security Health Plan 27
$2,309
$694 – $6,692
Medicare 262
$2,332
$687 – $3,057
Independent Health 10
$2,456
$757 – $2,699
Coventry 43
$2,465
$857 – $7,104
Humana 608
$2,726
$705 – $7,837
Kaiser Permanente 128
$2,785
$1,158 – $6,834
MVP Health Care 37
$2,881
$607 – $6,647
UnitedHealthcare 930
$3,041
$850 – $8,151
Anthem 370
$3,072
$789 – $7,537
Bright Health 36
$3,280
$3,114 – $6,880
Health Net 118
$3,349
$1,117 – $8,156
Blue Cross Blue Shield 765
$3,519
$850 – $10,089
Workers' Comp / No-Fault 37
$3,586
$1,066 – $4,432
Healthcare Highways 33
$3,650
$3,041 – $5,524
MultiPlan / PHCS network 214
$3,737
$900 – $8,490
SelectHealth 29
$3,743
$1,678 – $5,307
Aetna 808
$3,764
$840 – $9,674
EmblemHealth 55
$3,922
$2,196 – $18,207
Oscar Health 142
$5,926
$2,830 – $8,457
Cigna 636
$6,760
$2,249 – $14,234
AvMed 28
$8,253
$4,152 – $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
Puerto Rico$1,188
Mississippi$1,724
Pennsylvania$1,825
Tennessee$1,925

Prices by city

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

Prices by state

TexasCaliforniaWisconsinOhioFloridaNew YorkPennsylvaniaIllinoisMinnesotaNorth CarolinaColoradoLouisianaMichiganTennesseeNew JerseyIowaIndianaGeorgiaKansasMissouriArkansasWashingtonNebraskaMaineKentuckyVirginiaOklahomaWest VirginiaIdahoSouth CarolinaArizonaAlabamaMassachusettsUtahMississippiNew HampshireOregonSouth DakotaNorth DakotaMontanaConnecticutNevadaNew MexicoWyomingPuerto RicoVermontDelaware

Doctors who perform this

Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.

ClinicianSpecialtyLocationMedicare services
Jason Kvitle, O.D.OptometryQuincy, IL12,080
Stephen Demick, M.D.OphthalmologyChillicothe, OH11,256
Rod Rallo, ODOptometryLouisville, KY11,245
Matthew Puzio, O.DOptometrySouth Dennis, MA10,742
Clint Taylor, ODOptometryCarmi, IL10,144
Scott Matthews, ODOptometryWilliamston, NC9,720
Jessica Oneil, ODOptometrySwansboro, NC9,367
Margaret Powell, ODOptometrySpartanburg, SC9,173
John Pajka, MDOphthalmologyLima, OH9,013
Spencer Seibert, ODOptometryFairmont, MN8,744
Jessica Weis, ODOptometryCreve Coeur, MO8,641
George Santos, O.D.OptometryVineyard Haven, MA8,615

Browse doctors by specialty & city →

Does Medicare cover Cataract surgery?

Yes — Medicare generally covers Cataract surgery. It is typically an outpatient service under Medicare Part B, with a Medicare-approved amount of about $547. After your annual Part B deductible, you typically owe the 20% coinsurance — roughly $109 — unless a Medicare Advantage or supplemental (Medigap) plan covers it.

General guidance from Medicare’s national rates — your actual coverage and share depend on medical necessity, your plan, and where the service is performed. Confirm with Medicare or your plan.

About these prices

Based on prices published by 1440 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 $2,631, a Medicare rate of about $547. Most cash prices fall between $1,175 and $9,175 — 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 1440 US hospitals is $3,102. Most hospitals fall between $1,175 and $9,175. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.
Does Medicare cover Cataract surgery?
Yes — it is generally covered under Medicare Part B as an outpatient service (Medicare-approved amount about $547). After your Part B deductible you typically owe 20% coinsurance, unless a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan covers it.
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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