How Much Does Cataract Surgery Cost? A Data Analysis of 71 U.S. Hospitals
Published May 2026 · Analysis of 71 hospitals across 32 states, CPT 66984 cash prices
Hospitals post cash prices for cataract surgery (CPT 66984) ranging from $505 to $13,102 — a 26x spread for the same procedure code. But read the fine print: the low end is usually a single facility or professional fee, and the posted price almost never includes a premium intraocular lens.
Cataract surgery is the most common surgery among Americans 65 and older, and one of the most frequently performed operations in the country. It's almost always done as an outpatient procedure — often at an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) rather than a hospital — and one eye at a time, with the second eye usually scheduled about two weeks later. Each eye is a separate procedure and a separate bill. We pulled the cash (self-pay) prices that hospitals publish for CPT 66984 under the federal Hospital Price Transparency Rule (45 CFR 180), across 71 hospitals in 32 states.
One honesty point up front, because it dominates what cataract surgery actually costs out of pocket: the lens. A standard monofocal intraocular lens (IOL) is included in medically necessary surgery and is covered by Medicare and most insurance. A premium lens — a toric lens to correct astigmatism, or a multifocal / extended-depth-of-focus lens to reduce your need for glasses — is an elective upgrade that Medicare and insurance do not cover. That premium-lens upcharge typically runs $1,500–$4,000+ per eye, and the posted hospital price below usually does not include it. Treat the numbers as the facility's posted starting point, and always ask what lens is included (see below).
National Cataract Surgery Cash Prices
Cash-pay (self-pay) prices for the cataract surgery code, filtered to a $500–$50,000 plausibility window. Click the procedure to compare every hospital's price side by side.
| CPT | Procedure | Min | Median | Max | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66984 | Cataract Surgery | $505 | $2,554 | $13,102 | 71 |
Values below $500 were excluded as copay fragments, deposits, or single line-item component fees (10 hospitals posted such values). Even within the window, a posted price may reflect only the facility component and almost never includes a premium intraocular lens — see Methodology.
The Transparency Paradox
The federal Hospital Price Transparency Rule took effect in 2021 to make hospital prices comparable. Five years on, cataract surgery — the same CPT, 66984 — is posted at $505 at Mountain View Hospital in Idaho Falls, Idaho and $13,102 at HCA Florida Citrus Hospital in Inverness, Florida. That is a 26x gap for the identical procedure code, published publicly by both hospitals under the same rule.
We call this the Transparency Paradox: the data is now public, but it didn't narrow what hospitals charge — and for surgery it added a second problem. Hospitals don't post 66984 on a consistent basis. Some publish a bundled price; many publish only the facility fee for the operating room, leaving the surgeon, anesthesia, and the lens itself as separate, unposted bills. So two hospitals can both "publish their 66984 price" and mean completely different things by it.
Why Cataract Surgery Cost Varies So Much
- ASC vs. hospital outpatient. The single biggest cost lever. The same cataract operation done at an ambulatory surgery center is typically far cheaper than at a hospital outpatient department, which carries a higher facility fee. Most cataract surgery today is done at an ASC.
- Standard vs. premium lens. A standard monofocal IOL is included; a toric or multifocal premium lens is an out-of-pocket upgrade of roughly $1,500–$4,000+ per eye that insurance and Medicare do not cover. The posted price usually assumes a standard lens.
- Anesthesia. Cataract surgery is usually done under light (monitored) sedation with topical/local anesthesia, not general anesthesia — but the anesthesia provider is frequently a separate bill from a separate group.
- One eye vs. both. Each eye is billed separately, typically about two weeks apart. A "cataract surgery price" is usually per eye — double it for a two-eye plan.
- Facility type and ownership. Large for-profit hospital systems post the highest prices; the costliest figures in our data cluster at metro for-profit facilities, while community and rural hospitals and ASCs post the lowest.
- Geography. Urban markets with concentrated hospital ownership charge well above rural markets for the identical operation. Note, too, that a posted price is often facility-only — the surgeon, anesthesia, and lens may each be separate.
The 10 Most Expensive and 10 Cheapest Cataract Surgeries
Posted cash prices for CPT 66984, one row per hospital (lowest posted cash price each). Click any hospital to see its full price and compare cash vs. gross vs. insurance-negotiated rates. Remember the cheapest figures are often facility-only and almost never include a premium lens — confirm what's included.
10 Most Expensive (CPT 66984)
| Hospital | Location | Cash Price |
|---|---|---|
| HCA Florida Citrus Hospital | Inverness, FL | $13,102 |
| Henderson Hospital | Henderson, NV | $13,008 |
| Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center | Las Vegas, NV | $13,008 |
| Summerlin Hospital Medical Center | Las Vegas, NV | $13,008 |
| Valley Hospital Medical Center | Las Vegas, NV | $13,008 |
| Desert Springs Hospital | Las Vegas, NV | $11,987 |
| Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital | Roanoke, VA | $9,937 |
| Carilion Tazewell Community Hospital | Tazewell, VA | $9,297 |
| Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital | Rocky Mount, VA | $9,297 |
| Carilion New River Valley Medical Center | Christiansburg, VA | $9,297 |
10 Cheapest (CPT 66984)
| Hospital | Location | Cash Price |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain View Hospital | Idaho Falls, ID | $505 |
| Idaho Falls Community Hospital, LLC | Idaho Falls, ID | $505 |
| Kanakanak Hospital | Dillingham, AK | $553 |
| Memorial Hospital at Gulfport | Gulfport, MS | $591 |
| Pulaski Memorial Hospital | Winamac, IN | $644 |
| Boston Medical Center - Transplant Center | Boston, MA | $720 |
| HonorHealth Sonoran Crossing Medical Center | Phoenix, AZ | $770 |
| Muscogee (Creek) Nation Medical Center | Okmulgee, OK | $804 |
| Muscogee (Creek) Nation Long Term Acute Care Hospital | Okmulgee, OK | $804 |
| The Queen's Medical Center | Hon, HI | $828 |
The lowest figures here are almost certainly facility- or professional-component charges with a standard lens — not a full surgical bundle, and certainly not a premium lens — which is exactly why a self-pay patient must get an itemized, all-in estimate before agreeing to a "price."
How to Pay Less for Cataract Surgery
- Ask for an ambulatory surgery center. The same cataract operation at an ASC is usually far cheaper than at a hospital outpatient department, which carries a higher facility fee. Most cataract surgery is already done at an ASC — confirm where yours is scheduled.
- Confirm what lens is included. A standard monofocal lens is covered; a toric or multifocal premium lens adds $1,500–$4,000+ per eye out of pocket. If you don't need the upgrade, decline it — and ask in writing whether the quote assumes a standard lens.
- Ask for a bundled cash price. Many ASCs and hospitals will quote a flat self-pay total that folds in the facility, surgeon, and anesthesia. It is often far less than the sum of separate billed charges — but you usually have to ask for it by name.
- Get a written good-faith estimate. Under the No Surprises Act, self-pay and uninsured patients are entitled to a good-faith estimate before a scheduled procedure.
- Use your Medicare or secondary coverage. Most cataract patients are seniors. Medicare covers medically necessary cataract surgery and a standard lens; a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan may reduce your share. Verify before you pay cash out of pocket.
What to Ask When You Schedule
- Is this done at an ambulatory surgery center or a hospital outpatient department?
- Does the quoted price include a standard monofocal lens?
- If I want a toric or multifocal premium lens, what is the extra out-of-pocket cost per eye?
- Is anesthesia included, or a separate bill from a separate group?
- Is the surgeon in my insurance network? The facility? The anesthesia provider?
- Is this price per eye, and what would both eyes cost together?
- Do you offer a bundled, all-in self-pay package price? Can I get a written good-faith estimate?
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does cataract surgery cost without insurance?
Hospitals post cash prices for cataract surgery (CPT 66984) ranging from about $505 to $13,102 per eye in our data, with a median near $2,554. But those posted figures are usually a facility component with a standard lens, not the all-in cost — the surgeon, anesthesia, and any premium lens can be separate. Expect a realistic self-pay range of roughly $3,000–$6,000 per eye with a standard lens at an ambulatory surgery center, more at a hospital, and add $1,500–$4,000+ per eye for a premium lens. Both eyes roughly double the total.
Does Medicare cover cataract surgery?
Yes. Medicare Part B covers medically necessary cataract surgery, including a standard monofocal intraocular lens and one pair of corrective glasses or contacts afterward. You're responsible for the Part B deductible and 20% coinsurance, which a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan may reduce. Because most cataract patients are seniors, Medicare is the primary payer for most of these procedures.
What's the difference in cost between a standard and a premium lens?
A standard monofocal lens is included in covered cataract surgery at no extra charge. A premium lens — a toric lens to correct astigmatism, or a multifocal / extended-depth-of-focus lens to reduce your need for glasses — is an elective upgrade that Medicare and insurance do not cover. The premium-lens upcharge typically runs $1,500–$4,000 or more per eye, paid entirely out of pocket. The posted hospital price almost never includes it.
Is cataract surgery cheaper at a surgery center?
Usually yes. The same cataract operation done at an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) typically costs less than at a hospital outpatient department, because the ASC facility fee is lower. Most cataract surgery in the U.S. is already performed at an ASC. Ask where your surgery is scheduled and whether an ASC option is available.
Are both eyes done at the same time?
Almost never. Cataract surgery is done one eye at a time, with the second eye typically scheduled about two weeks later, so your surgeon can confirm the first eye is healing well before operating on the second. Each eye is a separate procedure and a separate bill, so a single quoted price is usually per eye.
What does the posted hospital price include?
Often just the facility component for one eye with a standard lens. The surgeon's professional fee, the anesthesia provider, and any premium lens upgrade are frequently separate, unposted bills. That's why a low posted figure can understate your total by thousands — always ask for an itemized, all-in good-faith estimate that names the lens and confirms what's bundled.
Methodology
This analysis uses cash (self-pay) prices for CPT 66984 (extracapsular cataract removal with insertion of an intraocular lens, one stage) from hospital Standard Charge files published under the CMS Hospital Price Transparency Rule (45 CFR 180). Where a hospital posts multiple cash rows for the code, we use its lowest. The figures reflect files available as of May 2026, across 71 hospitals in 32 states.
Limitations
- The posted price is often a component, not the whole surgery. Hospitals don't post 66984 on a consistent basis — some publish a bundled price, many publish only a facility fee. The surgeon's professional fee and anesthesia are frequently separate, unposted bills. Treat the low end especially as partial.
- Premium lenses are excluded. Posted prices generally assume a standard monofocal lens. A toric or multifocal premium lens is an out-of-pocket upgrade of $1,500–$4,000+ per eye that these figures do not reflect.
- Prices are per eye. Cataract surgery is done one eye at a time; a two-eye plan roughly doubles the total.
- We filter to a $500–$50,000 plausibility window. Values below $500 (10 hospitals) appear to be copay fragments, deposits, or single line items rather than a procedure price.
- Cash prices apply to self-pay patients; an insured or Medicare patient's share may differ.
- Hospital reporting quality varies; some publish chargemaster (list) rates in the cash field.
References & Further Reading
- CMS Hospital Price Transparency Rule (45 CFR 180) — the federal requirement that produces the underlying data on this page.
- American Academy of Ophthalmology (EyeSmart): Cataract Surgery — patient guidance on the procedure, lens options, and recovery.
- Medicare.gov: Cataract Surgery Coverage — how Medicare covers the procedure, the standard lens, and your share.
- CMS: No Surprises Act — Good-Faith Estimates — your right to a written cost estimate before a scheduled procedure.
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