Eye refraction (glasses prescription) Cost

Eye refraction (glasses prescription) is a clinic or emergency-department visit. Prices are from 787 US hospitals across 48 states, from their machine-readable files.

$39median cash price · 787 hospitals, 48 statestypically $14–$132 depending on the hospital
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Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)
$61
Cash / self-pay
$39
Insurer-negotiated
$33
$14$132
Median cash $39  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
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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
O'connor Hospital Delhi, NY $6 $9 — 95 min —
Little Falls Hospital Little Falls, NY $6 $7 ★ 2/5 109 min —
Cobleskill Regional Hospital Cobleskill, NY $6 $8 ★ 4/5 111 min —
University of Kansas Hospital Kansas City, KS $8 $24 ★ 5/5 307 min —
Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital Stuart, FL $10 $15 ★ 3/5 183 min —
Cleveland Clinic Hospital Weston, FL $10 $25 ★ 5/5 219 min —
Cleveland Clinic Cleveland, OH $10 $25 ★ 4/5 189 min —
Lodi Community Hospital Lodi, OH $10 $10 — 140 min —
Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital for Rehab Cleveland, OH $10 $25 — — —
Saint Vincent Hospital Erie, PA $10 $19 ★ 4/5 219 min —
Jefferson Hospital Louisville, GA $10 $19 — 99 min —
Jefferson Hospital Jefferson Hills, PA $10 $19 ★ 4/5 170 min —
Westfield Memorial Hospital, Inc Westfield, NY $12 $19 — 120 min —
Canonsburg General Hospital Canonsburg, PA $12 $18 ★ 3/5 155 min —
Forbes Hospital Monroeville, PA $12 $19 ★ 3/5 261 min —
University of Illinois Hospital and Clinics Chicago, IL $12 $30 ★ 4/5 298 min —
Bassett Healthcare Cooperstown, NY $13 $18 ★ 2/5 199 min —
Adventist Health Tulare Tulare, CA $13 $53 ★ 3/5 198 min —
Grove City Medical Center Grove City, PA $13 $19 ★ 4/5 150 min —
Allegheny Valley Hospital Natrona, PA $13 $18 ★ 4/5 203 min —
Allegheny General Hospital Pittsburgh, PA $13 $18 ★ 3/5 274 min —
Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital, Inc Binghamton, NY $14 $5 ★ 3/5 219 min —
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Carson Carson City, MI $14 $17 ★ 4/5 91 min —
Edward W Sparrow Hospital Lansing, MI $14 $17 ★ 3/5 299 min —
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Clinton Saint Johns, MI $14 $17 ★ 4/5 182 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 Eye refraction (glasses prescription)

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: $39.

InsurerHospitalsNegotiated median
UPMC Health Plan 12
$9
$5 – $31
Medicaid 45
$15
$12 – $31
Univera 7
$17
$15 – $21
Highmark 32
$18
$16 – $18
Priority Health 9
$19
$12 – $36
Devoted Health 25
$19
$17 – $20
Medicare 38
$19
$19 – $53
Molina Healthcare 99
$19
$10 – $54
Tricare / VA 35
$19
$18 – $54
Humana 173
$19
$15 – $96
Amerigroup 26
$20
$19 – $20
Centene / Ambetter 104
$21
$10 – $88
Kaiser Permanente 32
$21
$18 – $66
AmeriHealth 58
$23
$9 – $29
Workers' Comp / No-Fault 11
$24
$14 – $39
Anthem 132
$25
$14 – $284
Geisinger 23
$26
$6 – $28
MVP Health Care 16
$27
$8 – $61
Aetna 230
$27
$14 – $92
UCare 15
$28
$16 – $53
UnitedHealthcare 293
$30
$12 – $171
Cigna 160
$35
$12 – $111
HealthPartners 51
$40
$18 – $135
SelectHealth 11
$44
$19 – $90
Medica 29
$54
$15 – $64
Health Net 24
$57
$20 – $90
Harvard Pilgrim 13
$58
$24 – $83
Oscar Health 25
$60
$9 – $645
Sanford Health Plan 15
$61
$17 – $62
MultiPlan / PHCS network 90
$67
$20 – $121
Coventry 10
$75
$18 – $108
Security Health Plan 9
$79
$62 – $79
Blue Cross Blue Shield 333
$79
$18 – $582
EmblemHealth 29
$249
$7 – $332

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
Florida$10
Georgia$10
Arkansas$14
Pennsylvania$15
Kansas$16
Missouri$22

Prices by city

Austin, TXChicago, ILNew York, NYBronx, NYDallas, TXHouston, TXNashville, TNSan Antonio, TXCleveland, OHFort Worth, TXArlington, TXBaltimore, MDBirmingham, ALBrooklyn, NYJacksonville, FLKnoxville, TNMilwaukee, WIPlano, TXWorcester, MACharlotte, NCColorado Springs, COLas Vegas, NVMobile, ALOverland Park, KS

Prices by state

TexasFloridaNew YorkWisconsinOhioPennsylvaniaIllinoisTennesseeMinnesotaCaliforniaMichiganColoradoWest VirginiaNew JerseyIndianaMaineMassachusettsIowaNorth CarolinaLouisianaUtahAlabamaKansasMissouriWashingtonOklahomaMarylandNebraskaNew HampshireGeorgiaConnecticutArizonaMontanaWyomingSouth DakotaSouth CarolinaNevadaIdahoNew MexicoNorth DakotaArkansas

Does Medicare cover Eye refraction (glasses prescription)?

We don’t have a standard national Medicare rate for Eye refraction (glasses prescription), so we can’t confirm coverage here — it may depend on medical necessity, the setting, or your specific plan. Check Medicare.gov or ask your provider.

About these prices

Based on prices published by 787 US hospitals across 48 states, the typical (median) cash price is $39, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $61, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $33. Most cash prices fall between $14 and $132 — 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 Eye refraction (glasses prescription) cost without insurance?
The median cash (self-pay) price across 787 US hospitals is $39. Most hospitals fall between $14 and $132. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.
Why do Eye refraction (glasses prescription) 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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