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

Ear Tube Surgery Cost in California (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a ear tube surgery cost in California?

You could pay $1,547 or $2,343 for the same ear tube surgery in California - depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 174 reporting hospitals is $1,995. This data comes directly from hospital price transparency files published under federal law. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.

Once you have a bill or an appointment on the calendar, CostKits can help you keep it all organized.

Where ear tube surgery costs vary in California

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.

Hospital (below avg) Hospital (above avg) Click a pin for details.

26+ people checked prices near them this month.

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

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Cheapest Ear Tube Surgery Providers in California

Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.

# Facility City Price vs median ($1,995)
1 RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Riverside, CA $663 $1,332 below
2 Loma Linda University Medical Center - Murrieta Murrieta, CA $683 $1,312 below
3 American Hospital Management Corporation Arcata, CA $895 $1,100 below
4 Northbay Medical Center Fairfield, CA $905 $1,090 below
5 South Coast Global Medical Center Santa Ana, CA $917 $1,078 below
6 AHMC Garfield Medical Ctr CA $973 $1,022 below
7 USC Verdugo Hills Hospital Glendale, CA $1,021 $974 below
8 HARBOR-UCLA MEDICAL CENTER Torrance, CA $1,045 $950 below

Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

Before you book: three questions that change the price

  1. Is this the self-pay price, and does it include the doctor, anesthesia and any lab or pathology? Those are often billed separately.
  2. Can you give me the price in writing, with the billing codes it covers?
  3. 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

  • RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL is the lowest-cost option at $663 - $1,332 below the median posted price ($1,995), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $1,995, 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.
Ear tube surgery prices by coverage in California, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$1,585 to $1,585$1,585
With insurance (commercial, average)138$1,921 to $7,092$4,371
Without insurance (cash price)179$853 to $6,356$1,995
Anthem Blue Cross89$1,019 to $8,595$3,735
Aetna64$673 to $11,851$4,672
Cigna55$2,027 to $7,432$4,379
UnitedHealthcare49$755 to $6,648$3,493

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 an ear tube surgery cost with Medicare in California?

Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for ear tube surgery is about $1,585 to $1,585 (typically near $1,585). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $317 on a $1,585 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 an ear tube surgery cost with insurance in California?

Across 138 California hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for ear tube surgery average $1,921 to $7,092 per hospital, with a median near $4,371. 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 an ear tube surgery cost without insurance in California?

Cash (self-pay) prices for ear tube surgery at 179 California hospitals range from $853 to $6,356, with a median of $1,995. 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 an ear tube surgery cost with Anthem Blue Cross in California?

Anthem Blue Cross negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 89 California hospitals range from $1,019 to $8,595, with a median near $3,735. 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 an ear tube surgery cost with Aetna in California?

Aetna negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 64 California hospitals range from $673 to $11,851, with a median near $4,672. If a hospital is out of network for your Aetna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How much does an ear tube surgery cost with Cigna in California?

Cigna negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 55 California hospitals range from $2,027 to $7,432, with a median near $4,379. 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 an ear tube surgery cost with UnitedHealthcare in California?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 49 California hospitals range from $755 to $6,648, with a median near $3,493. 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 where you go changes what you pay for ear tube surgery

The same ear tube 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.

Hospital Outpatient
$248–$8,696
  • Facility fee $8–$8,056
  • Professional fee $240–$640

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$594–$6,996
  • Facility fee $354–$6,356
  • Professional fee $240–$640

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

California has the most competitive commercial hospital market in the country, with aggressive multi-system competition in every major metro driving meaningful price variation. Kaiser Permanente's integrated payer-provider model covers roughly 40% of the insured population in the state - if you're Kaiser-enrolled, the prices here largely don't apply. California's robust price transparency enforcement under SB 1204 means the data here is more complete than in most states.

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 (25) report prices above $5,429, including UC San Diego Medical Center at $8,056, 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 $1,995 versus $3,062 inpatient (about 1.5× more), so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick.

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 ~$1,995
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$399
Out-of-network provider $4,389+

Frequently asked questions: ear tube surgery costs in California

How much does an ear tube surgery cost in California?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $1,696, with most facilities between $175 and $1,995 (based on 163 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of California hospitals run $853–$6,356; outlier facilities above and below that range are left out. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.

Where is the cheapest place to get an ear tube surgery in California?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our California data is RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL in Riverside at about $663. By metro, Los Angeles has the lowest median ($1,995). 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 an ear tube surgery so much cheaper at some California hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 11.4× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In California, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,995 versus a median negotiated rate of $4,371 - 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 an ear tube surgery in California?

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

Other procedures in California

Ear Tube Surgery, elsewhere

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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Published October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

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