Cataract Surgery Cost in Maryland (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a cataract surgery cost in Maryland?
Where you have a cataract surgery done in Maryland swings the bill from $544 to $824 for identical care. The median cash price across 28 reporting hospitals is $626. The numbers are pulled directly from federally mandated hospital price transparency files. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.
Three low-priced facilities in Maryland, from hospital price files
- UM R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center · Baltimore, MD $522
- University of Maryland Medical Center · Baltimore, MD $531
- UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown · Chestertown, MD $547
Free: the typical range and the facilities above. Add your email and we send the full ranked list of all 28 facilities (PDF) plus a checklist of what to ask before you book. We don't sell your information (privacy policy).
Where cataract surgery costs vary in Maryland
Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby ambulatory surgery centers and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.
26+ people checked prices near them this month.
Insurance covers cataract surgery - but the premium lens it won't cover can add $1,500–$3,000 per eye.
Your personalized cost report includes:
- ✓ Why the standard lens is covered but a toric/multifocal upgrade is billed directly to you
- ✓ The four separate bills (facility, surgeon, anesthesia, lens) and which to scrutinize
- ✓ Why an ambulatory surgery center usually costs less than a hospital for the identical operation
- ✓ How anesthesia ends up out-of-network even at an in-network surgery center
- ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line
Free for patients - takes 30 seconds to get.
We'll send a sign-in link to your email - click it to get your guide. No account required, no spam.
Cheapest Cataract Surgery Providers in Maryland
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MD | $956 | -$000 |
| 2 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MD | $955 | -$000 |
| 3 | UM R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center | Baltimore, MD | $522 | -$104 |
| 4 | University of Maryland Medical Center | Baltimore, MD | $531 | -$95 |
| 5 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MD | $952 | -$000 |
| 6 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MD | $951 | -$000 |
| 7 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MD | $950 | -$000 |
| 8 | UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown | Chestertown, MD | $547 | -$79 |
Your ranked price list is on its way to your email. Open the PDF now.
Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.
Email me this price comparison plus what to ask before booking
Sends a PDF with all 28 facilities ranked cheapest first, plus a short checklist of questions that change what you pay. We don't sell your information (privacy policy).
Before you book: three questions that change the price
- Is this the self-pay price, and does it include the doctor, anesthesia and any lab or pathology? Those are often billed separately.
- Can you give me the price in writing, with the billing codes it covers?
- What happens to the price if something extra is needed during the procedure?
Estimate your out-of-pocket cost → · When the bills arrive, we check them for errors →
Quick take
- UM Shore Medical Center at Easton is the lowest-cost option at $519 - $107 below the state median, just by choosing where you go.
- Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $626, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
- Freestanding ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) are often 30-60% cheaper than hospital outpatient departments for the same procedure and may not appear in this hospital-only dataset - ask your doctor if one is an option.
| Coverage | Hospitals with a rate | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare (national rate) | — | $2,358 to $4,223 | $2,358 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 28 | $519 to $1,106 | $626 |
Rates are negotiated allowed amounts and cash prices from hospital price-transparency files (October 2026), shown at each hospital’s lowest-priced typical billing code for this procedure. Facility fees only. The typical range is the middle 80% of hospitals, not a quote for your visit.
How much does a cataract surgery cost with Medicare in Maryland?
Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for cataract surgery is about $2,358 to $4,223 (typically near $2,358). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $472 on a $2,358 payment, with no out-of-pocket cap unless you have supplemental coverage or a Medicare Advantage plan.
Doctor, anesthesia and pathology fees are billed separately. Medicare rates are national CMS amounts, adjusted slightly by local wage levels.
How much does a cataract surgery cost without insurance in Maryland?
Cash (self-pay) prices for cataract surgery at 28 Maryland hospitals range from $519 to $1,106, with a median of $626. Ask for the cash or self-pay price and for any financial-assistance discount before you book; both can be lower than the posted price.
Cash prices are the hospital’s published discounted rate for patients paying without insurance.
How where you go changes what you pay for cataract surgery
The same cataract surgery bundles different services depending on the setting - facility fee, surgeon fee, and anesthesia each arrive as separate bills. Estimated ranges below reflect the typical full bundled cost, including all expected charges.
- Facility fee $501–$2,341
- Professional fee $803–$2,932
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- Facility fee $501–$2,341
- Professional fee $803–$2,932
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
Maryland operates the nation's only all-payer hospital rate-setting system through the Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) - all payers, including Medicare, Medicaid, commercial, and self-pay, pay the same regulated rates at each facility. This makes Maryland's cash prices more meaningful than in other states, because the discounting common elsewhere is largely prohibited. Johns Hopkins Medicine and University of Maryland Medical System anchor the academic tier. Medicare covers cataract surgery at a defined allowed amount wage-adjusted for your location - the main cost variable isn't geography but lens type. Standard monofocal lenses are fully covered; premium multifocal or toric lenses add $1,500–$3,000 per eye out-of-pocket regardless of insurance. Ambulatory surgery centers consistently charge less than hospital outpatient departments for the identical procedure.
Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go → Managing more than one bill? See the family tracker →
Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage
A small number of hospitals (1) report prices above $1,358, including Sinai Hospital of Baltimore at $2,341, which drives most of the overall spread - excluding them, most facilities cluster in a much tighter band. Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $613 versus $612 inpatient, so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick. Setting drives most of the spread here: an ambulatory surgical center (ASC) is usually meaningfully cheaper than a hospital operating room for the same procedure, when your case qualifies.
On top of the facility price, your actual bill depends on your deductible, your out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved - not just the facility - is in-network.
| Your situation | Estimated out-of-pocket |
|---|---|
| Deductible not yet met | ~$626 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$125 |
| Out-of-network provider | $1,377+ |
Frequently asked questions: cataract surgery costs in Maryland
How much does a cataract surgery cost in Maryland?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $368, with most facilities between $322 and $785 (based on 23 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Full market pricing - including cash rates, gross charges, and outlier facilities - ranges more widely, from $301 to $14,710 across all 28 Maryland hospitals that publish prices. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.
Where is the cheapest place to get a cataract surgery in Maryland?
Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our Maryland data is CalvertHealth Medical Center at about $501. By metro, Baltimore has the lowest median ($756). Freestanding ambulatory surgery centers are often cheaper still and may not appear in hospital price data - ask your doctor whether one is an option.
Why is a cataract surgery so much cheaper at some Maryland hospitals?
Prices vary up to 48.9× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Maryland, the median cash (self-pay) price is $626 versus a median negotiated rate of $368 - about 1.7× higher. Asking for the cash price as well as your insurer's negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on what you pay.
How much will I actually pay out of pocket for a cataract surgery in Maryland?
Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and whether the facility is in-network - not just the sticker price. If you have not met your deductible, you will typically pay the negotiated rate in full until you do. Use the CostKits cost forecaster to estimate your specific out-of-pocket amount before you go.
Before you book
- How to read your medical bill
- How to stop medical bill problems before they start
- How to negotiate your medical bills
- Allowed amount vs negotiated rate: what your EOB is really saying
- How to read an EOB line by line
Other procedures in Maryland
Cataract Surgery, elsewhere
What matters before you schedule
ASC vs. hospital
Hospital outpatient departments typically charge 2-4x more than ambulatory surgery centers for the same cataract surgery - same outcome, very different bill. Call ahead and ask for a self-pay or cash quote at each setting you're considering.
What's on your bill
A cataract surgery involves multiple providers who bill separately - typically Facility Fee, Surgeon Professional Fee, Anesthesia. Check each line item against your Explanation of Benefits to catch billing errors.
Cost by type
Which type your doctor orders for this cataract surgery changes the billing code, and what you pay. For example: A recognized variation that can change the billing code and what you owe.
What to ask before you book
Get the CPT code from your doctor, confirm every provider involved (not just the facility) is in-network, ask for the cash-pay rate if you're uninsured or haven't met your deductible, and request a written estimate for cataract surgery before you schedule.
CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account).
Other Procedure Costs in Maryland
- Appendectomy Cost in Maryland
- Childbirth Cost in Maryland
- Cholecystectomy Cost in Maryland
- Colonoscopy Cost in Maryland
- CT Abdomen Cost in Maryland
- CT Chest Cost in Maryland
- CT Head Cost in Maryland
- CT Scan Cost in Maryland
- Echocardiogram Cost in Maryland
- Emergency Room Visit Cost in Maryland
- Endoscopy Cost in Maryland
- Hip Replacement Cost in Maryland
- Hysterectomy Cost in Maryland
- Knee Replacement Cost in Maryland
- Mammogram Cost in Maryland
- MRI Brain Cost in Maryland
- MRI Knee Cost in Maryland
- MRI Cost in Maryland
- Spinal Fusion Cost in Maryland
- Ultrasound Cost in Maryland
- Xray Cost in Maryland
Related Articles
Interested in understanding healthcare costs and managing your medical expenses?
- Free Cost EstimatorCalculate your exact out-of-pocket cost for any procedure
- Free Bill ScreenerCheck whether your bill and paperwork are ready for a professional review
- Family Bill TrackerTrack costs across every family member and every bill in one place
- Cataract Surgery Cost GuideCompare Cataract Surgery prices across all 50 states
- Deductible vs Out-of-Pocket MaximumLearn how insurance cost-sharing works and what you actually pay
- Cost ExplorerBrowse procedures and compare prices across the country
About the Author
John Caruso, FSA, MAAA
Healthcare actuary with 20+ years of experience in insurance pricing, medical billing systems, and healthcare cost analytics.
Connect on LinkedIn →Ready to take control of your healthcare costs?
Use the free cost estimator → · Get your bill screened for free → · See the family plan →