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Reviewed by John Caruso, FSA, MAAA • Data last updated

Ear Tube Surgery Cost (2026): $618–$1,507

Typical cost

$618–$1,507

Sticker price is almost never what patients actually pay.

Your actual cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, and where you are in your plan.

👉 The same Ear Tube Surgery could cost you $0 or $1,507.

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Ear tube surgery places tiny tubes in the eardrum to drain fluid and prevent repeat ear infections. It is a short outpatient procedure, mostly done in young children under brief anesthesia.

CostKits Data - Ear Tube Surgery

$620–$1,510
National typical range
Median across all 50 states
21×
National price spread
Cheapest vs. most expensive market
4,163
Facilities in our database
94% have observed negotiated rates
High
Shopping potential
Facility type is the biggest cost lever
50
States with cost data
Updated 2026

Facility Choice Is the Biggest Cost Driver

Setting Typical Allowed Amount
Hospital outpatient dept. $1,300–$1,750
Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) $700–$900

Same procedure, same clinical outcome - 40–55% lower allowed amount. Ask your physician if the procedure can be performed at an ASC.

CostKits Market Intelligence - Ear Tube Surgery

Confidence: High
Sources Used
  • CMS Medicare fee schedules (MPFS, OPPS, ASC)
  • Hospital price transparency files
  • Commercial rate relativity model
Estimate Composition
Observed negotiated rates
95%
Medicare baseline
5%
Estimated relativity
0%
289 geographic markets analyzed
4,163 facilities in dataset
50 states + 239 metros

Where people are getting Ear Tube Surgery done

A sample of real facilities across major U.S. metros - click a pin to save one, or enter your ZIP to find facilities near you.

Click a pin to save a facility - auto-cycling through major metros

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Facility locations from CMS hospital price-transparency filings. Get a personalized cost estimate →
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How to Use This Data

These prices come from hospital price transparency files that hospitals are required by law to publish. They represent the range of what hospitals declare as their charges - actual negotiated rates with insurers are typically 40–60% lower.

If you have insurance: Your out-of-pocket cost is determined by your deductible, coinsurance, and your insurer's negotiated rate with the specific facility. Call your insurer for a pre-service cost estimate before scheduling.

If you are uninsured: Call 2–3 facilities directly and ask for their self-pay or cash-pay rate. Most facilities offer 20–50% discounts off list prices for upfront payment.

If you received a bill: Upload it to CostKits to compare what you were charged against what other facilities in your state reported.

What you pay for a ear tube surgery depends on where you go and what is billed separately. Most patients find out after.

Your personalized cost report includes:

  • ✓ Anesthesia: Children are usually put under, and the anesthesia provider bills separately.
  • ✓ Surgery center or hospital: Facility fees differ between settings.
  • ✓ Which bills usually arrive separately, and which providers to check are in-network
  • ✓ The questions to ask before you schedule, so the estimate covers everything
  • ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line

Free for patients - takes 30 seconds to get.

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What's Actually on an Ear Tube Surgery Bill?

A single ear tube surgery can generate multiple separate bills. Each provider bills independently and they often arrive weeks apart. Here's what to expect at a Hospital Outpatient:

Billing Component Always? Typical Amount Separate Bill? Notes
Facility Fee Always - Often
Surgeon Fee Always - Usually
Anesthesia Always - Usually

Ear Tube Surgery Cost-Saving Decision Guide

Three moves that reduce your actual out-of-pocket cost - not just awareness, but specific decisions you can make before scheduling:

Choose the right facility
If: Procedure is non-urgent + a hospital outpatient department is where you're scheduled
Typical savings: $300–$675 - Moving from a hospital outpatient department to ASC is typically the single biggest lever - identical care, lower overhead

Common Ear Tube Surgery Billing Surprises

The sticker price is rarely the whole story. These are the charges that most often surprise people after a ear tube surgery - knowing them in advance is how you catch errors and avoid out-of-network bills.

You May Receive Two Bills

Most ear tube surgery episodes produce a facility charge and a separate professional (surgeon) charge. Even when the facility is in-network, the surgeon can be out-of-network.

The Surgeon Bills Separately

The surgeon bills independently from the facility and may arrive later as its own statement.

Anesthesia May Be Billed Separately

Anesthesia is frequently provided by a separate group and may be out-of-network even when the facility is not.

Facility Fees

Hospital facility fees are typically far higher than ambulatory or independent settings for the identical service.

Out-of-Network Surgeon

Confirm the surgeon - not just the facility - is in your network before the procedure.

Explore Ear Tube Surgery Costs

How Insurance Affects the Cost of This Procedure

Understanding these insurance concepts can help you estimate what you may actually pay for this procedure.

Cheapest States for Ear Tube Surgery

The 10 lowest-cost states for ear tube surgery, by typical facility price range. Use these as a benchmark.

  1. 1. Maryland $316–$602
  2. 2. Utah $383–$562
  3. 3. Texas $420–$551
  4. 4. Pennsylvania $474–$668
  5. 5. Vermont $359–$785
  6. 6. Nebraska $358–$963
  7. 7. Arizona $356–$999
  8. 8. New Hampshire $352–$1,293
  9. 9. Maine $304–$1,433
  10. 10. Iowa $446–$1,309

Most Expensive States for Ear Tube Surgery

The 10 highest-cost states for ear tube surgery. If you're in one of these, shopping facilities and asking for the cash-pay rate matters most.

  1. 1. Alaska $3,198–$4,247
  2. 2. Nevada $714–$6,436
  3. 3. Idaho $1,387–$3,330
  4. 4. Delaware $1,588–$2,474
  5. 5. California $1,547–$2,343
  6. 6. South Carolina $1,203–$2,671
  7. 7. New Jersey $1,481–$2,243
  8. 8. Massachusetts $1,230–$2,359
  9. 9. South Dakota $1,145–$2,337
  10. 10. Ohio $1,295–$1,820

Ear Tube Surgery Cost by State

Data source: CMS Hospital Price Transparency Machine-Readable Files. Prices represent hospital-declared charges and do not include physician fees, anesthesia, or other separately-billed services.

What will you pay for Ear Tube Surgery?

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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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Published October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

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