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

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

What does a ear tube surgery cost in North Carolina?

The same ear tube surgery in North Carolina might cost you $330 at one facility and $1,504 at another - the building you walk into drives the difference. The median cash price across 57 reporting hospitals is $1,348. These figures come straight 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 North Carolina, from hospital price files

  • Gaston Memorial Hospital · Gastonia, NC $455
  • Wayne Memorial Hospital · Goldsboro, NC $474
  • Johnston Health Services Corporation · Smithfield, NC $476

All 57 facilities are listed below, free.

Where ear tube surgery costs vary in North Carolina

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 North Carolina

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($1,348)
1 Gaston Memorial Hospital Gastonia, NC $455 $893 below
2 Wayne Memorial Hospital Goldsboro, NC $474 $874 below
3 Johnston Health Services Corporation Smithfield, NC $476 $872 below
4 University of North Carolina Hospitals at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC $479 $869 below
5 Kindred Hospital Greensboro Greensboro, NC $518 $830 below
6 Rex Hospital, Inc. Raleigh, NC $832 $516 below
7 North Carolina Specialty Hospital Durham, NC $863 $485 below
8 Person Memorial Hospital NC $1,153 $195 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

  • Gaston Memorial Hospital is the lowest-cost option at $455 - $893 below the median posted price ($1,348), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $1,344, 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 North Carolina, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$1,585 to $1,585$1,585
With insurance (commercial, average)57$1,386 to $4,037$2,181
Without insurance (cash price)71$325 to $1,750$1,344
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina20$545 to $2,703$1,197
Cigna37$1,550 to $5,546$2,727
Aetna24$1,099 to $5,216$2,078
UnitedHealthcare22$1,386 to $6,551$1,503

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 North Carolina?

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 North Carolina?

Across 57 North Carolina hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for ear tube surgery average $1,386 to $4,037 per hospital, with a median near $2,181. 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 North Carolina?

Cash (self-pay) prices for ear tube surgery at 71 North Carolina hospitals range from $325 to $1,750, with a median of $1,344. 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 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina?

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 20 North Carolina hospitals range from $545 to $2,703, with a median near $1,197. 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 North Carolina?

Cigna negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 37 North Carolina hospitals range from $1,550 to $5,546, with a median near $2,727. 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 Aetna in North Carolina?

Aetna negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 24 North Carolina hospitals range from $1,099 to $5,216, with a median near $2,078. 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 UnitedHealthcare in North Carolina?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 22 North Carolina hospitals range from $1,386 to $6,551, with a median near $1,503. 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
$543–$12,841
  • Facility fee $303–$12,201
  • Professional fee $240–$640

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$758–$1,158
  • Facility fee $518–$518
  • Professional fee $240–$640

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Atrium Health (formerly Carolinas HealthCare) and Wake Forest Baptist Health have merged into one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the Southeast. Duke Health and UNC Health anchor the Research Triangle academic tier, creating a market where major academic centers hold outsized pricing leverage. North Carolina has been an active target for FTC scrutiny of hospital consolidation.

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 (2) report prices above $3,280, including Harris Regional Hospital at $3,711, 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 $1,348 versus $518 inpatient, so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick.

None of the prices above are what you'll necessarily owe: your deductible, out-of-pocket maximum, and each provider's network status all still apply.

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met ~$1,348
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$270
Out-of-network provider $2,966+

Frequently asked questions: ear tube surgery costs in North Carolina

How much does an ear tube surgery cost in North Carolina?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $1,344, with most facilities between $50 and $1,504 (based on 57 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of North Carolina hospitals run $325–$1,750; 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 North Carolina?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our North Carolina data is Gaston Memorial Hospital in Gastonia at about $455. By metro, Charlotte has the lowest median ($325). 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 North Carolina hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 30.1× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In North Carolina, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,344 versus a median negotiated rate of $2,181 - 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 North Carolina?

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 North Carolina

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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