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

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

What does a ear tube surgery cost in Kentucky?

Where you have an ear tube surgery done in Kentucky swings the bill from $1,268 to $1,538 for identical care. The median cash price across 35 reporting hospitals is $1,398. The numbers are pulled directly from federally mandated hospital price transparency files. 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 Kentucky

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 Kentucky

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($1,398)
1 Norton Hospitals INC Louisville, KY $569 $829 below
2 Ashland Hospital Corporation Ashland, KY $1,107 $291 below
3 Deaconess Health System Henderson Hospital Henderson, KY $1,245 $153 below
4 Jennie Stuart Medical Center KY $1,258 $140 below
5 UofL Health-Louisville Inc. Louisville, KY $1,268 $130 below
6 UofL Health -Shelbyville, Inc. Shelbyville, KY $1,268 $130 below
7 Deaconess Health System Union County Hospital Morganfield, KY $1,339 $59 below
8 CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph London London, KY $1,341 $57 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

  • Norton Hospitals INC is the lowest-cost option at $569 - $829 below the median posted price ($1,398), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $1,398, 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.
Ear tube surgery prices by coverage in Kentucky, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$1,585 to $1,585$1,585
With insurance (commercial, average)33$1,750 to $6,148$2,946
Without insurance (cash price)53$569 to $3,413$1,398
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield27$2,008 to $9,962$3,276
Cigna13$2,091 to $10,485$3,877
UnitedHealthcare9$184 to $3,761$3,761
Aetna6$1,142 to $1,877$1,877

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 Kentucky?

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 Kentucky?

Across 33 Kentucky hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for ear tube surgery average $1,750 to $6,148 per hospital, with a median near $2,946. 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 Kentucky?

Cash (self-pay) prices for ear tube surgery at 53 Kentucky hospitals range from $569 to $3,413, with a median of $1,398. 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 and Blue Shield in Kentucky?

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 27 Kentucky hospitals range from $2,008 to $9,962, with a median near $3,276. 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 Cigna in Kentucky?

Cigna negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 13 Kentucky hospitals range from $2,091 to $10,485, with a median near $3,877. 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 Kentucky?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 9 Kentucky hospitals range from $184 to $3,761, with a median near $3,761. 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 an ear tube surgery cost with Aetna in Kentucky?

Aetna negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 6 Kentucky hospitals range from $1,142 to $1,877, with a median near $1,877. 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 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
$562–$10,299
  • Facility fee $322–$9,659
  • Professional fee $240–$640

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$576–$4,186
  • Facility fee $336–$3,546
  • Professional fee $240–$640

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Norton Healthcare and Baptist Health dominate Louisville, while UK HealthCare (University of Kentucky) and CHI Saint Joseph anchor the Lexington market. Kentucky has historically had high uninsured rates and elevated uncompensated care loads, which influences charity care policies and cash price discounting practices at many facilities.

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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

A small number of hospitals (11) report prices above $1,943, including MERCY HEALTH LOURDES HOSPITAL LLC at $9,659, 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 $1,398 versus $1,965 inpatient (about 1.4× more), so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick.

What you pay out of pocket on top of this depends on your deductible, your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved is in-network - not just the facility.

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met ~$1,398
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$280
Out-of-network provider $3,076+

Frequently asked questions: ear tube surgery costs in Kentucky

How much does an ear tube surgery cost in Kentucky?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $1,367, with most facilities between $1,248 and $1,455 (based on 35 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of Kentucky hospitals run $569–$3,413; 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 Kentucky?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our Kentucky data is Norton Hospitals INC in Louisville at about $569. By metro, Louisville has the lowest median ($1,268). 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 Kentucky hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 1.2× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Kentucky, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,398 versus a median negotiated rate of $2,946 - 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 Kentucky?

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 Kentucky

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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