Cataract Surgery Cost in Kansas City, MO (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a cataract surgery cost in Kansas City, MO?
You could pay $726 or $2,099 for the same cataract surgery in Kansas City, MO - depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 20 reporting hospitals is $913. This data comes directly from hospital price transparency files published under federal law. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.
Three low-priced facilities in Kansas City, MO, from hospital price files
- University Health Truman Medical Center · Kansas City, MO $653
- Children's Mercy Hospital · Kansas City, MO $661
- LEE'S SUMMIT MEDICAL CENTER · Lee'S Summit, MO $754
Free: the typical range and the facilities above. Add your email and we send the full ranked list of all 20 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 Kansas City, MO
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.
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Insurance covers cataract surgery - but the premium lens it won't cover can add $1,500–$3,000 per eye.
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Cheapest Cataract Surgery Providers in Kansas City, MO
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MO | $408 | -$000 |
| 2 | University Health Truman Medical Center | Kansas City, MO | $653 | -$260 |
| 3 | Children's Mercy Hospital | Kansas City, MO | $661 | -$252 |
| 4 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MO | $405 | -$000 |
| 5 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MO | $404 | -$000 |
| 6 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MO | $403 | -$000 |
| 7 | LEE'S SUMMIT MEDICAL CENTER | Lee'S Summit, MO | $754 | -$159 |
| 8 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MO | $401 | -$000 |
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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 20 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
- Saint Luke’s North Hospital is the lowest-cost option at $626 - $287 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 $913, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
- This dataset covers hospitals only - freestanding ASCs, which routinely run 30-60% cheaper for the same procedure, aren't included, so it's worth asking your doctor whether one is an option.
| Coverage | Hospitals with a rate | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare (national rate) | — | $2,358 to $4,223 | $2,358 |
| With insurance (commercial, average) | 17 | $981 to $5,715 | $3,601 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 20 | $617 to $2,184 | $913 |
| Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | 13 | $620 to $4,619 | $2,570 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 13 | $1,188 to $5,562 | $2,174 |
| Cigna | 13 | $1,288 to $7,950 | $4,901 |
| Aetna | 12 | $903 to $6,560 | $4,489 |
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 Kansas City, MO?
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 with insurance in Kansas City, MO?
Across 17 Kansas City, MO hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for cataract surgery average $981 to $5,715 per hospital, with a median near $3,601. That is the amount your plan and you pay the hospital together; you owe your deductible, then coinsurance, up to your out-of-pocket maximum.
Each hospital’s figure is the average of the commercial insurers it lists. Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid rates are excluded.
How much does a cataract surgery cost without insurance in Kansas City, MO?
Cash (self-pay) prices for cataract surgery at 20 Kansas City, MO hospitals range from $617 to $2,184, with a median of $913. 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 much does a cataract surgery cost with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kansas City, MO?
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield negotiated rates for cataract surgery at 13 Kansas City, MO hospitals range from $620 to $4,619, with a median near $2,570. Your own cost depends on your plan’s deductible and coinsurance, and on whether the hospital is in your network.
Includes Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Anthem plans listed by each hospital.
How much does a cataract surgery cost with UnitedHealthcare in Kansas City, MO?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for cataract surgery at 13 Kansas City, MO hospitals range from $1,188 to $5,562, with a median near $2,174. If a hospital is out of network for your UnitedHealthcare plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
How much does a cataract surgery cost with Cigna in Kansas City, MO?
Cigna negotiated rates for cataract surgery at 13 Kansas City, MO hospitals range from $1,288 to $7,950, with a median near $4,901. If a hospital is out of network for your Cigna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
How much does a cataract surgery cost with Aetna in Kansas City, MO?
Aetna negotiated rates for cataract surgery at 12 Kansas City, MO hospitals range from $903 to $6,560, with a median near $4,489. If a hospital is out of network for your Aetna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
BJC HealthCare, SSM Health, Mercy Health, and CoxHealth divide Missouri roughly by region, with meaningful inter-system competition in both St. Louis and Kansas City. Barnes-Jewish Hospital (BJC) is the dominant academic medical center. Rural Missouri - particularly the Ozarks - has significant critical access hospital coverage where pricing structures differ from PPS hospitals. 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
Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $913 versus $2,279 inpatient (about 2.5× more), 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 | ~$913 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$183 |
| Out-of-network provider | $2,009+ |
Frequently asked questions: cataract surgery costs in Kansas City, MO
How much does a cataract surgery cost in Kansas City, MO?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $754, with most facilities between $188 and $814 (based on 20 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Full market pricing - including cash rates, gross charges, and outlier facilities - ranges more widely, from $503 to $3,932 across all 20 Kansas City, MO 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 Kansas City, MO?
Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our Kansas City, MO data is The University of Kansas Health System Kansas City Campus at about $503. By metro, Kansas City has the lowest median ($661). 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 Kansas City, MO hospitals?
Prices vary up to 7.8× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Kansas City, MO, the median cash (self-pay) price is $913 versus a median negotiated rate of $3,601 - cash is the lower number at many hospitals. 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 Kansas City, MO?
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
- Allowed amount vs negotiated rate: what your EOB is really saying
- How to read your medical bill
- Deductible vs out-of-pocket max
- Already have a bill? Check it for errors
- Understanding your UnitedHealthcare EOB
Other procedures in Kansas City, MO
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).
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About the Author
John Caruso, FSA, MAAA
Healthcare actuary with 20+ years of experience in insurance pricing, medical billing systems, and healthcare cost analytics.
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