Cost of a Cataract Surgery Visit
in Louisiana
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Louisiana's healthcare system faces unique challenges with physician shortages in rural parishes and concentrated specialty care in urban centers like New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Cataract Surgery visits in Louisiana typically cost between $225.85 and $1,345.41, with a median cost of $617.27 based on negotiated insurance rates. With over 916 active Cataract Surgery providers throughout the state, patients have options to find quality care that fits their budget and location preferences.
Average
$730
Median
$617
Lowest
$226
Highest
$1,345
Providers
916
18% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does cataract surgery compare to related procedures in Louisiana?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knee Replacement Total knee replacement (arthroplasty) | 27447 | $989 | $1,619 | $2,664 | 863 |
| Hip Replacement Total hip replacement (arthroplasty) | 27130 | $960 | $1,557 | $2,505 | 877 |
| Knee Arthroscopy Arthroscopy of the knee with meniscectomy | 29881 | $394 | $594 | $1,089 | 867 |
| Gallbladder Removal (Laparoscopic) Laparoscopic cholecystectomy | 47562 | $473 | $822 | $1,416 | 895 |
| Appendectomy (Laparoscopic) Laparoscopic appendectomy | 44970 | $368 | $694 | $1,236 | 947 |
| Hysterectomy (Laparoscopic) Laparoscopic total hysterectomy | 58571 | $85 | $997 | $1,658 | 904 |
| Septoplasty Nasal septum repair | 30520 | $399 | $637 | $1,133 | 864 |
| Tonsillectomy Tonsillectomy, primary or secondary | 42820 | $189 | $346 | $530 | 904 |
| Inguinal Hernia Repair Inguinal hernia repair | 49505 | $383 | $608 | $1,052 | 861 |
| Mastectomy Partial or simple mastectomy | 19301 | $331 | $636 | $1,229 | 905 |
| Carpal Tunnel Surgery Open carpal tunnel release | 64721 | $294 | $504 | $979 | 865 |
Important: These are cost estimates only — not a quote and not medical advice.
The prices on this page are self-pay rates, drawn from federal Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files (CPT 66984 — Extracapsular cataract removal with insertion of intraocular lens). They represent what a patient might pay without insurance.
Your actual cost depends on: your specific insurance plan, your remaining deductible, your coinsurance percentage, whether you have met your out-of-pocket maximum, whether the facility and provider are both in-network, and any separate anesthesia or implant fees billed independently.
This page does not constitute medical advice. Whether you need this procedure, and which approach is right for you, is a decision to make with a licensed healthcare provider.
Where this data comes from & what CPT 66984 covers
Data source: Cost figures are derived from UnitedHealthcare Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files for CPT code 66984 (Extracapsular cataract removal with insertion of intraocular lens), as mandated by the CMS Price Transparency Rule.
What CPT 66984 covers: the provider's professional fee for cataract surgery. It does not include facility/hospital fees, anesthesia, pre-operative imaging, post-operative care, or any add-on codes billed separately.
How to read this data
Negotiated Rate
The discounted price an insurer has agreed to pay a specific provider. Most insured patients' bills are calculated from this number, not the higher list price hospitals publish separately.
P5, Median, P95
P5 is the rate at the 5th percentile (low end), Median is the middle value, and P95 is the 95th percentile (high end). This range shows how much the same visit can vary between providers.
What this does not tell you
These rates do not tell you what you personally will pay out of pocket. That depends on your specific plan, how much of your deductible you have already met, your coinsurance rate, and whether the provider is in your network. Call your insurer's member line to get your exact estimate.
Top-Rated Hospitals in Louisiana
These hospitals in Louisiana are top-rated for patient satisfaction. Review data sourced from HCAHPS Patient Survey.
COLUMBIA, LA
COVINGTON, LA
LAFAYETTE, LA
ALEXANDRIA, LA
BATON ROUGE, LA
Hospital ratings are based on HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey data published by CMS.
Why Cataract Surgery Visit Costs Vary Across Louisiana
Louisiana's healthcare costs run approximately 1% above the national average, influenced by the state's mix of urban medical centers and underserved rural parishes. The concentration of specialty providers in New Orleans and Baton Rouge creates access challenges for patients in northern and southwestern Louisiana, often requiring travel for specialized care.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
New Orleans and Baton Rouge contain the majority of Louisiana's Cataract Surgery specialists, while rural parishes often have limited or no local ophthalmology services. Patients in areas like Alexandria, Monroe, or Lake Charles may face longer wait times and higher travel costs to access specialized eye care. This geographic disparity can drive up overall healthcare costs for rural residents who must seek care in urban centers.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-owned practices affiliated with major health systems like Ochsner Health or LCMC Health typically have higher overhead costs reflected in their pricing structures. Independent ambulatory surgery centers and ophthalmology practices often offer more competitive rates due to lower facility expenses and streamlined operations. Academic medical centers like LSU Health New Orleans may have additional teaching hospital fees but also offer access to cutting-edge treatments and clinical trials.
Insurance Market Competition in Louisiana
The Louisiana insurance market features moderate competition among Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, UnitedHealthcare, and Aetna, with BCBS holding the largest market share statewide. Limited insurer options in some parishes can result in less competitive negotiated rates with providers compared to markets with more carrier choices. The lack of Medicaid expansion has created a significant uninsured population that affects overall healthcare economics and pricing strategies.
Physician Supply and Demand in Louisiana
With 916 active Cataract Surgery providers serving Louisiana's 4.6 million residents, the state maintains adequate specialist availability in urban areas but faces shortages in rural regions. This uneven distribution creates longer wait times and potentially higher costs in underserved areas where patients have fewer provider options. Hurricane damage and population shifts have also affected physician retention in some coastal parishes, impacting local healthcare capacity.
Jayant Panwar
CEO, Momentary Labs · San Francisco, CA
Jayant has analyzed healthcare pricing data from CMS Transparency in Coverage files since 2022, covering more than 50 million negotiated rate records across all 50 states. His work focuses on making insurer machine-readable files accessible to patients and researchers.
The cost figures on this page reflect his ongoing work to make this data accessible to patients.
Frequently Asked Questions — Cataract Surgery Costs in Louisiana
What is the average cost of a Cataract Surgery visit in Louisiana without insurance?
Does Louisiana Medicaid cover Cataract Surgery visits?
How do I find an affordable Cataract Surgery near me in Louisiana?
What is the difference in cost between an initial consultation and a follow-up visit?
Can I use an HSA or FSA to pay for a Cataract Surgery visit in Louisiana?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Cataract Surgery in Louisiana?
Click a state to compare costs
Average Visit Cost
Office visit (CPT 66984)
Compare With Other States
| Rank | State | Average↓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin Range: $80 – $10,062 | $3,412 |
| 2 | Wyoming Range: $667 – $2,130 | $1,240 |
| 3 | Rhode Island Range: $448 – $2,135 | $1,181 |
| 4 | Massachusetts Range: $403 – $2,078 | $1,139 |
| 5 | Montana Range: $85 – $2,744 | $1,127 |
| 6 | Delaware Range: $343 – $2,135 | $1,056 |
| 7 | Nebraska Range: $641 – $1,313 | $1,055 |
| 8 | Washington Range: $616 – $1,521 | $1,034 |
| 9 | New Hampshire Range: $528 – $1,548 | $1,023 |
| 10 | New York Range: $364 – $2,135 | $1,005 |
| 11 | Colorado Range: $85 – $2,114 | $1,003 |
| 12 | New Mexico Range: $474 – $1,551 | $982 |
| 13 | Alaska Range: $85 – $2,135 | $972 |
| 14 | Georgia Range: $93 – $2,005 | $970 |
| 15 | Connecticut Range: $70 – $2,135 | $961 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania Range: $85 – $2,135 | $946 |
| 17 | Maine Range: $643 – $1,123 | $945 |
| 18 | North Carolina Range: $390 – $1,609 | $940 |
| 19 | California Range: $85 – $1,401 | $899 |
| 20 | Nevada Range: $415 – $1,453 | $892 |
| 21 | District of Columbia Range: $414 – $1,311 | $871 |
| 22 | Vermont Range: $403 – $1,548 | $865 |
| 23 | Iowa Range: $85 – $1,313 | $861 |
| 24 | Oregon Range: $85 – $1,687 | $858 |
| 25 | North Dakota Range: $80 – $1,609 | $812 |
| 26 | Mississippi Range: $430 – $1,451 | $806 |
| 27 | Minnesota Range: $90 – $1,548 | $800 |
| 28 | Utah Range: $85 – $1,209 | $791 |
| 29 | New Jersey Range: $364 – $1,380 | $790 |
| 30 | South Carolina Range: $327 – $1,383 | $785 |
| 31 | Illinois Range: $418 – $1,200 | $771 |
| 32 | Alabama Range: $418 – $1,195 | $767 |
| 33 | Idaho Range: $85 – $1,348 | $743 |
| 34 | Tennessee Range: $418 – $1,090 | $741 |
| 35 | Hawaii Range: $85 – $1,386 | $739 |
| 36 | Louisiana Range: $226 – $1,345 | $730 |
| 37 | South Dakota Range: $95 – $1,313 | $729 |
| 38 | West Virginia Range: $85 – $1,409 | $721 |
| 39 | Maryland Range: $477 – $1,083 | $714 |
| 40 | Kansas Range: $502 – $912 | $711 |
| 41 | Virginia Range: $360 – $1,157 | $710 |
| 42 | Indiana Range: $70 – $1,385 | $708 |
| 43 | Kentucky Range: $85 – $1,313 | $691 |
| 44 | Missouri Range: $502 – $811 | $680 |
| 45 | Ohio Range: $335 – $1,087 | $678 |
| 46 | Texas Range: $85 – $1,210 | $662 |
| 47 | Michigan Range: $85 – $1,073 | $645 |
| 48 | Arkansas Range: $85 – $1,042 | $624 |
| 49 | Arizona Range: $448 – $898 | $614 |
| 50 | Oklahoma Range: $85 – $960 | $525 |
| 51 | Florida Range: $35 – $964 | $351 |