Ear Tube Surgery Cost in Tennessee (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a ear tube surgery cost in Tennessee?
Where you have an ear tube surgery done in Tennessee swings the bill from $749 to $1,262 for identical care. The median cash price across 66 reporting hospitals is $1,078. 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 Tennessee
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.
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 Tennessee
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs median ($1,078) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Thomas Regional Hospitals | TN | $633 | $445 below |
| 2 | TRISTAR HORIZON MEDICAL CENTER | Dickson, TN | $640 | $438 below |
| 3 | TRISTAR SOUTHERN HILLS MEDICAL CENTER | Nashville, TN | $662 | $416 below |
| 4 | PARKRIDGE EAST HOSPITAL | East Ridge, TN | $662 | $416 below |
| 5 | Baptist Memorial Hospital-Carroll County | Huntingdon, TN | $662 | $416 below |
| 6 | Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis | Memphis, TN | $662 | $416 below |
| 7 | Livingston Regional Hospital | Livingston, TN | $663 | $415 below |
| 8 | TRISTAR STONECREST MEDICAL CENTER | Smyrna, TN | $672 | $406 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
- Is this the self-pay price, and does it include the doctor, anesthesia and any lab or pathology? Those are often billed separately.
- Can you give me the price in writing, with the billing codes it covers?
- 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
- Saint Thomas Regional Hospitals is the lowest-cost option at $633 - $445 below the median posted price ($1,078), just by choosing where you go.
- Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $1,078, 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.
| Coverage | Hospitals with a rate | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare (national rate) | — | $1,585 to $1,585 | $1,585 |
| With insurance (commercial, average) | 46 | $1,474 to $3,230 | $1,937 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 70 | $633 to $1,561 | $1,078 |
| BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee | 34 | $1,017 to $2,503 | $1,584 |
| Cigna | 42 | $1,135 to $3,536 | $2,094 |
| Aetna | 29 | $805 to $7,725 | $4,197 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 24 | $1,372 to $2,749 | $1,894 |
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 Tennessee?
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 Tennessee?
Across 46 Tennessee hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for ear tube surgery average $1,474 to $3,230 per hospital, with a median near $1,937. 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 Tennessee?
Cash (self-pay) prices for ear tube surgery at 70 Tennessee hospitals range from $633 to $1,561, with a median of $1,078. 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 BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee?
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 34 Tennessee hospitals range from $1,017 to $2,503, with a median near $1,584. 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 Tennessee?
Cigna negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 42 Tennessee hospitals range from $1,135 to $3,536, with a median near $2,094. 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 Tennessee?
Aetna negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 29 Tennessee hospitals range from $805 to $7,725, with a median near $4,197. 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 Tennessee?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for ear tube surgery at 24 Tennessee hospitals range from $1,372 to $2,749, with a median near $1,894. 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.
- Facility fee $322–$3,106
- Professional fee $240–$640
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- Facility fee $322–$1,669
- Professional fee $240–$640
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
HCA Healthcare, headquartered in Nashville, has significant hospital presence in its home state, creating pricing patterns more aligned with for-profit hospital economics than nonprofit systems in comparable markets. Vanderbilt University Medical Center anchors the Nashville academic tier. Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid under the ACA, maintaining a high uninsured rate that influences facility pricing structures.
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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage
A small number of hospitals (5) report prices above $2,155, including METHODIST LEBONHEUR GERMANTOWN HOSP at $3,106, 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 $1,078 versus $1,088 inpatient, 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 | ~$1,078 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$216 |
| Out-of-network provider | $2,372+ |
Frequently asked questions: ear tube surgery costs in Tennessee
How much does an ear tube surgery cost in Tennessee?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $891, with most facilities between $264 and $1,275 (based on 66 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of Tennessee hospitals run $633–$1,561; 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 Tennessee?
Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our Tennessee data is Saint Thomas Regional Hospitals at about $633. By metro, Chattanooga has the lowest median ($712). 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 Tennessee hospitals?
Typical prices vary about 4.8× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Tennessee, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,078 versus a median negotiated rate of $1,937 - 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 Tennessee?
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
- Deductible vs out-of-pocket max
- How to negotiate your medical bills
- EOB vs medical bill: complete guide
- Already have a bill? Check it for errors
- How to read an EOB line by line
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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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