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

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

What does a ear tube surgery cost in South Carolina?

You could pay $1,203 or $2,671 for the same ear tube surgery in South Carolina - depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 49 reporting hospitals is $1,494. 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 South Carolina, from hospital price files

  • Self Regional Healthcare Partners · Edgefield, SC $916
  • HCA Healthcare Live Oak Mental Health and Wellness · Ladson, SC $916
  • HCA Healthcare Summerville Hospital · Summerville, SC $916

All 49 facilities are listed below, free.

Where ear tube surgery costs vary in South 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 South Carolina

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($1,494)
1 Self Regional Healthcare Partners Edgefield, SC $916 $578 below
2 HCA Healthcare Live Oak Mental Health and Wellness Ladson, SC $916 $578 below
3 HCA Healthcare Summerville Hospital Summerville, SC $916 $578 below
4 HCA Healthcare Trident Hospital Moncks Corner, SC $916 $578 below
5 MUSC Medical Center Charleston, SC $951 $543 below
6 Kershaw Medical Center Camden, SC $958 $536 below
7 HCA Healthcare Colleton Hospital Walterboro, SC $1,019 $475 below
8 GRAND STRAND MEDICAL CENTER Little River, SC $1,019 $475 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

  • Self Regional Healthcare Partners is the lowest-cost option at $916 - $578 below the median posted price ($1,494), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $1,495, 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 South Carolina, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$1,585 to $1,585$1,585
With insurance (commercial, average)32$1,981 to $11,438$3,717
Without insurance (cash price)51$916 to $7,525$1,495
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina24$1,284 to $3,096$2,034
UnitedHealthcare21$3,853 to $8,667$6,132
Cigna16$2,341 to $14,603$14,170
Aetna7$3,555 to $9,863$5,087

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 South 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 South Carolina?

Across 32 South Carolina hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for ear tube surgery average $1,981 to $11,438 per hospital, with a median near $3,717. 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 South Carolina?

Cash (self-pay) prices for ear tube surgery at 51 South Carolina hospitals range from $916 to $7,525, with a median of $1,495. 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 South Carolina?

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 24 South Carolina hospitals range from $1,284 to $3,096, with a median near $2,034. 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 UnitedHealthcare in South Carolina?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 21 South Carolina hospitals range from $3,853 to $8,667, with a median near $6,132. 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 Cigna in South Carolina?

Cigna negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 16 South Carolina hospitals range from $2,341 to $14,603, with a median near $14,170. 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 South Carolina?

Aetna negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 7 South Carolina hospitals range from $3,555 to $9,863, with a median near $5,087. 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
$552–$15,243
  • Facility fee $312–$14,603
  • Professional fee $240–$640

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$346–$3,311
  • Facility fee $106–$2,671
  • Professional fee $240–$640

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Prisma Health (formed from Palmetto Health and Greenville Health System) and Roper St. Francis are the two largest health systems, anchoring the Midlands and Lowcountry respectively. South Carolina's delayed Medicaid expansion maintained a higher uninsured population for years, influencing charity care structures and cash price policies at many facilities.

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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

A small number of hospitals (8) report prices above $5,149, including McLeod Health at $14,603, 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 $1,495 versus $2,671 inpatient (about 1.8× more), 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 ~$1,494
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$299
Out-of-network provider $3,287+

Frequently asked questions: ear tube surgery costs in South Carolina

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

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $822, with most facilities between $632 and $1,302 (based on 48 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of South Carolina hospitals run $916–$7,525; 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 South Carolina?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our South Carolina data is Self Regional Healthcare Partners in Edgefield at about $916. By metro, Greer has the lowest median ($2,075). 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 South Carolina hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 2.1× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In South Carolina, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,495 versus a median negotiated rate of $3,717 - 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 South 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 South 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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