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

Glaucoma Laser Surgery Cost in Iowa (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a glaucoma laser surgery cost in Iowa?

You could pay $468 or $524 for the same glaucoma laser surgery in Iowa - depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 21 reporting hospitals is $484. 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 Iowa, from hospital price files

  • Mary Greeley Medical Center $383
  • ALEGENT HEALTH BERGAN MERCY HEALTH SYSTEM · Council Bluffs, IA $391
  • Allen Memorial Hospital Corporation · Waterloo, IA $454

All 21 facilities are listed below, free.

Where glaucoma laser surgery costs vary in Iowa

Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby outpatient clinics 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 glaucoma laser surgery depends on where you go and what is billed separately. Most patients find out after.

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Cheapest Glaucoma Laser Surgery Providers in Iowa

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($484)
1 Mary Greeley Medical Center IA $383 $101 below
2 ALEGENT HEALTH BERGAN MERCY HEALTH SYSTEM Council Bluffs, IA $391 $93 below
3 Allen Memorial Hospital Corporation Waterloo, IA $454 $30 below
4 Trinity Regional Medical Center Fort Dodge, IA $467 $17 below
5 Trinity Medical Center Bettendorf, IA $472 $12 below
6 Unity Healthcare Muscatine, IA $473 $11 below
7 The Finley Hospital Dubuque, IA $482 $2 below
8 St Luke's Methodist Hospital Cedar Rapids, IA $482 $2 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

  • Mary Greeley Medical Center is the lowest-cost option at $383 - $101 below the median posted price ($484), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $484, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
  • Doctor offices and independent clinics may charge differently from hospitals for the same service and may not appear in this hospital-only dataset. Ask your doctor whether another site is an option.
Glaucoma laser surgery prices by coverage in Iowa, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$562 to $562$562
With insurance (commercial, average)17$435 to $1,240$1,110
Without insurance (cash price)22$360 to $942$484
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield7$384 to $841$458
UnitedHealthcare14$490 to $2,091$1,409
Aetna13$509 to $1,355$1,223

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 a glaucoma laser surgery cost with Medicare in Iowa?

Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for glaucoma laser surgery is about $562 to $562 (typically near $562). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $112 on a $562 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 a glaucoma laser surgery cost with insurance in Iowa?

Across 17 Iowa hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for glaucoma laser surgery average $435 to $1,240 per hospital, with a median near $1,110. 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 a glaucoma laser surgery cost without insurance in Iowa?

Cash (self-pay) prices for glaucoma laser surgery at 22 Iowa hospitals range from $360 to $942, with a median of $484. 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 a glaucoma laser surgery cost with Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Iowa?

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield negotiated rates for glaucoma laser surgery at 7 Iowa hospitals range from $384 to $841, with a median near $458. 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 a glaucoma laser surgery cost with UnitedHealthcare in Iowa?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for glaucoma laser surgery at 14 Iowa hospitals range from $490 to $2,091, with a median near $1,409. 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 a glaucoma laser surgery cost with Aetna in Iowa?

Aetna negotiated rates for glaucoma laser surgery at 13 Iowa hospitals range from $509 to $1,355, with a median near $1,223. 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 glaucoma laser surgery

The same glaucoma laser 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
$514–$2,031
  • Facility fee $212–$1,227
  • Professional fee $302–$804

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$514–$1,416
  • Facility fee $212–$612
  • Professional fee $302–$804

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Iowa's hospital market is dominated by UnityPoint Health and MercyOne (CommonSpirit), with relatively limited inter-system competition in most markets. Des Moines prices run below national averages, but facility fees at affiliated hospital systems can add substantially to the base service rates. University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics is the primary academic referral center.

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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

A small number of hospitals (3) report prices above $627, including State University of Iowa at $1,227, 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 $484 versus $412 inpatient, 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 ~$484
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$97
Out-of-network provider $1,065+

Frequently asked questions: glaucoma laser surgery costs in Iowa

How much does a glaucoma laser surgery cost in Iowa?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $472, with most facilities between $403 and $506 (based on 21 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of Iowa hospitals run $360–$942; 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 a glaucoma laser surgery in Iowa?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our Iowa data is Mary Greeley Medical Center at about $383. By metro, Des Moines has the lowest median ($522).

Why is a glaucoma laser surgery so much cheaper at some Iowa hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 1.3× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Iowa, the median cash (self-pay) price is $484 versus a median negotiated rate of $1,110 - 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 a glaucoma laser surgery in Iowa?

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 Iowa

Glaucoma Laser Surgery, elsewhere

CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account).

Other Procedure Costs in Iowa

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General surgery

Lab tests

Ear, nose and throat

Urology and women's health

Infusions

Emergency care

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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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