Ear tubes (myringotomy) Cost — Compare Hospital Prices

Ear tubes (myringotomy) is a surgical procedure. Prices are from 1540 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.

$1,275median cash price · 1540 hospitals, 52 statestypically $321–$5,510 depending on the hospital

≈ 7.3× Medicare · High vs MedicareFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)

$2,312

Cash / self-pay

$1,275

Insurer-negotiated

$1,440

Medicare pays

$174

$321$5,510

Median cash $1,275 · Medicare $174 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)

Is this a fair price?

1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $1,275 — about 7.3× the Medicare rate ($174). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($347).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,312 list price could save about $1,037 (45%).

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

See negotiated rates for your insurer:

Hospital	Location	Cash	Insurer	CMS rating	ER wait	Readmit
Grove Hill Memorial Hospital	Grove Hill, AL	$196	$624	—	166 min	—
Cameron Memorial Community Hospital Inc	Angola, IN	$199	$181	★ 3/5	171 min	—
Ogallala Community Hospital	Ogallala, NE	$201	$260	—	106 min	—
Kau Hospital	Pahala, HI	$208	—	—	79 min	—
Ellis Hospital	Schenectady, NY	$219	$213	★ 3/5	232 min	—
Red Bud Regional Hospital	Red Bud, IL	$220	$385	★ 4/5	122 min	—
Deaconess Hospital Inc	Evansville, IN	$220	$185	★ 2/5	186 min	—
The Women's Hospital	Newburgh, IN	$220	$203	★ 5/5	130 min	—
Deaconess Henderson Hospital	Henderson, KY	$220	$274	★ 2/5	127 min	—
Children's Mercy South	Overland Park, KS	$226	$282	—	—	—
The Children's Mercy Hospital	Kansas City, MO	$226	$282	—	—	—
Southwest General Health Center	Middleburg Heights, OH	$234	$137	★ 4/5	199 min	—
Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport	Shreveport, LA	$237	$717	★ 2/5	247 min	—
Howard County Medical Center	St Paul, NE	$238	$209	—	93 min	—
Conway Medical Center	Conway, SC	$245	$153	★ 2/5	134 min	—
Gundersen St Josephs Hospital and Clinics	Hillsboro, WI	$245	$386	—	121 min	—
Gundersen Moundview Hospital and Clinics	Friendship, WI	$245	$386	—	73 min	—
Gundersen Tri-County Hospital & Clinics	Whitehall, WI	$245	$386	—	120 min	—
ECU Health Bertie Hospital	Windsor, NC	$250	$190	★ 4/5	166 min	—
Ashtabula County Medical Center	Ashtabula, OH	$250	$194	★ 3/5	194 min	—
McKenzie Health System	Sandusky, MI	$255	$203	—	133 min	—
CHI Health Plainview Hospital	Plainview, NE	$256	$293	—	92 min	—
Astria Toppenish Hospital	Toppenish, WA	$256	$561	—	150 min	—
CHI Health Schuyler	Schuyler, NE	$259	$293	—	104 min	—
Caldwell Memorial Hospital	Lenoir, NC	$261	$478	★ 3/5	205 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 Ear tubes (myringotomy)

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: $1,275; Medicare pays $174.

Insurer	Hospitals	Negotiated median
Medicaid	176	$76 $49 – $425
Univera	12	$119 $13 – $172
Medicare	329	$128 $65 – $1,753
Independent Health	19	$184 $101 – $292
Geisinger	46	$280 $109 – $1,791
Workers' Comp / No-Fault	45	$284 $284 – $1,039
MVP Health Care	45	$386 $139 – $3,716
Priority Health	35	$420 $115 – $2,471
Amerigroup	124	$421 $118 – $1,481
Highmark	100	$457 $98 – $3,035
Tricare / VA	208	$468 $101 – $1,986
Sanford Health Plan	33	$475 $134 – $2,705
UCare	39	$511 $119 – $2,622
Coventry	66	$515 $178 – $3,618
Molina Healthcare	435	$519 $104 – $2,702
Medica	94	$522 $160 – $2,750
HealthPartners	122	$543 $119 – $2,530
AmeriHealth	142	$550 $96 – $3,938
Devoted Health	116	$638 $472 – $1,663
UPMC Health Plan	64	$729 $126 – $3,555
Blue Cross Blue Shield	871	$846 $104 – $4,608
Kaiser Permanente	147	$948 $103 – $3,550
Centene / Ambetter	566	$948 $103 – $2,594
MultiPlan / PHCS network	326	$1,008 $197 – $5,537
Harvard Pilgrim	28	$1,015 $338 – $3,116
Health Net	153	$1,109 $94 – $4,989
Bright Health	43	$1,348 $1,257 – $4,748
Humana	704	$1,426 $134 – $4,254
UnitedHealthcare	1044	$1,433 $139 – $4,456
Security Health Plan	28	$1,438 $150 – $5,167
SelectHealth	32	$1,489 $364 – $5,307
Anthem	403	$1,530 $117 – $5,606
Aetna	933	$1,947 $163 – $7,594
EmblemHealth	54	$2,383 $274 – $12,590
Healthcare Highways	34	$2,434 $2,069 – $14,320
Oscar Health	174	$2,887 $806 – $4,723
Cigna	729	$3,433 $475 – $10,853
AvMed	32	$8,168 $899 – $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

State	Median cash
Hawaii	$208
Maryland	$267
Vermont	$303
Indiana	$386
Maine	$402
New Mexico	$435

Prices by city

Prices by state

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.

Clinician	Specialty	Location	Medicare services
Kunal Thakkar, M.D.	Otolaryngology	Jacksonville Beach, FL	62
Wayne Shaia, M.D.	Otolaryngology	Richmond, VA	56
Eric Bunting, MD	Otolaryngology	Wichita, KS	54
Hallie Baker, D.O.	Otolaryngology	Joplin, MO	54
Jeffrey Ulis, MD	Otolaryngology	Decatur, IL	50
Jason Acevedo, MD	Otolaryngology	Abilene, TX	49
Steven Ho, MD	Otolaryngology	Melbourne, FL	48
Curtis Childress, MD	Otolaryngology	Hattiesburg, MS	47
David Walker, M.D.	Otolaryngology	Northbrook, IL	46
John Grosso, M.D.	Otolaryngology	Lindenhurst, NY	43
Charly Nguyen, M.D.	Otolaryngology	Elgin, IL	43
Aaron Metrailer, M.D.	Otolaryngology	Little Rock, AR	43

Browse doctors by specialty & city →

Does Medicare cover Ear tubes (myringotomy)?

Yes — Medicare generally covers Ear tubes (myringotomy). It is typically an outpatient service under Medicare Part B, with a Medicare-approved amount of about $174. After your annual Part B deductible, you typically owe the 20% coinsurance — roughly $35 — 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 1540 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $1,275, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $2,312, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $1,440, a Medicare rate of about $174. Most cash prices fall between $321 and $5,510 — 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 Ear tubes (myringotomy) cost without insurance?

The median cash (self-pay) price across 1540 US hospitals is $1,275. Most hospitals fall between $321 and $5,510. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.

Does Medicare cover Ear tubes (myringotomy)?

Yes — it is generally covered under Medicare Part B as an outpatient service (Medicare-approved amount about $174). After your Part B deductible you typically owe 20% coinsurance, unless a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan covers it.

What does Medicare pay for Ear tubes (myringotomy)?

Medicare pays about $174. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.

Why do Ear tubes (myringotomy) 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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