Ear irrigation cost in St. Louis, MO
In St. Louis, MO-IL, 16 hospitals list a cash price for earwax removal by irrigation (rinsing), one ear: from $26.60 to $416.00, with a median of $147.67. The lowest listed price is at Carlinville Area Hospital — $121.07 less than the median here. Across Missouri, the median is $110.50 at 53 hospitals.
- The median here, $147.67, is 39% above the US median of $105.95.
- That is 2.5× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($60.27).
- St. Louis, MO ranks 2nd of 2 metro areas in Missouri by median, cheapest first.
- 2 of 16 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Cash prices at 16 facilities across 14 cities for code 69209, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 6, 2026 and Jun 10, 2026.
Lowest$26.60Carlinville Area Hospital
Median$147.67half of hospitals charge less
Highest$416.00in this market
Difference15.6×highest vs lowest
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in St. Louis, MO-IL.
median
Lowest $26.60Highest $416.00
one sideboth sides
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlinville Area Hospital lowest Carlinville, IL · (217) 854-3141 Removal impacted cerumen using irr RHC File of Mar 21, 2026 · source file | $26.60 | $38.00 | $13.68–$54.29 | 30% |
| Gateway Regional Medical Center Granite City, IL · (618) 798-3000 EAR IRRIGATION(ONE EAR) File of Mar 30, 2026 · source file | $36.48 | $60.80 | $60.80 | 40% |
| Carlinville Area Hospital one side Carlinville, IL · (217) 854-3141 REM IMPACTED CERUMEN, IRRIGATION UNILAT File of Mar 21, 2026 · source file | $41.30 | $59.00 | $21.24–$84.29 | 30% |
| Community Hospital of Staunton Staunton, IL · (618) 635-2200 REMOV MPAC CERU IRRIG/LAVA UNL File of Feb 9, 2026 · source file | $84.40 | $168.80 | $48.80–$153.61 | 50% |
| Anderson Hospital Maryville, IL · (618) 288-5711 REMOV MPAC CERU IRRIG/LAVA UNL File of Feb 6, 2026 · source file | $96.90 | $193.80 | $61.32–$1,300.00 | 50% |
| Touchette Regional Hospital one side Cahokia Heights, IL · (618) 332-3060 Removal impacted cerumen using irrigation/lavage, unilateral File of Apr 13, 2026 · source file | $111.60 | $180.00 | $61.92–$2,421.00 | 38% |
| St Josephs Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis one side Highland, IL · (618) 651-2600 HC REMOVAL IMPACTED CERUMEN USING IRRIGATION/LAVAGE UNI-LT+1 more line at this price File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $114.48 | $159.00 | $6.00–$159.00 | 28% |
| St Josephs Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis Highland, IL · (618) 651-2600 REMOVE IMPACTED EAR WAX UNI File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $114.48 | $159.00 | $6.00–$159.00 | 28% |
| Anderson Hospital Maryville, IL · (618) 288-5711 RMVL IMPACTED CERUMEN BIL File of Feb 6, 2026 · source file | $120.40 | $240.80 | $61.32–$1,300.00 | 50% |
| Community Hospital of Staunton Staunton, IL · (618) 635-2200 RMVL IMPACTED CERUMEN BIL File of Feb 9, 2026 · source file | $126.40 | $252.80 | $73.09–$230.05 | 50% |
| Hshs Holy Family Hospital Greenville, IL · (618) 664-1230 HC REMOVAL IMPACTED CERUMEN USING IRRIGATION/LAVAGE UNI File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $126.72 | $176.00 | $49.28–$176.00 | 28% |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln one side Troy, MO · (636) 528-8551 Impact Cerumen Irr/Lavage Unilat File of Jun 10, 2026 · source file | $139.10 | $214.00 | $70.88–$77.97 | 35% |
| St Josephs Hospital Hospital Sisters Third Order of St Francis Breese, IL · (618) 526-4511 HC REMOVAL IMPACTED CERUMEN USING IRRIGATION/LAVAGE UNI File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $156.24 | $217.00 | $60.76–$217.00 | 28% |
| Mercy Hospital South one side Saint Louis, MO · (314) 525-1000 Impact Cerumen Irr/Lavage Unilat File of Jun 10, 2026 · source file | $189.80 | $292.00 | $276.00–$288.00 | 35% |
| Mercy Hospital Washington one side Washington, MO · (636) 239-8000 Impact Cerumen Irr/Lavage Unilat File of Jun 10, 2026 · source file | $199.55 | $307.00 | $14.51–$1,106.00 | 35% |
| Mercy Hospital St Louis one side Saint Louis, MO · (314) 251-6000 Impact Cerumen Irr/Lavage Unilat+1 more line at this price File of Jun 4, 2026 · source file | $206.05 | $317.00 | $20.61–$317.00 | 35% |
| Mercy Hospital Jefferson one side Festus, MO · (636) 933-1000 Rem Impact Cerumen Irr/Lavage Unilat File of Jun 10, 2026 · source file | $206.05 | $317.00 | $20.61–$317.00 | 35% |
| Shriners Childrens - St Louis Saint Louis, MO · (314) 432-3600 REMOVE IMPACTED EAR WAX UNI File of Mar 18, 2026 · source file | $280.13 | $280.13 | $37.81–$300.00 | — |
| St Elizabeths Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis one side O'Fallon, IL · (618) 234-2120 HC REMOVAL IMPACTED CERUMEN USING IRRIGATION/LAVAGE UNI-RT+1 more line at this price File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $310.32 | $431.00 | $62.83–$431.00 | 28% |
| St Elizabeths Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis O'Fallon, IL · (618) 234-2120 HC REMOVAL IMPACTED CERUMEN USING IRRIGATION/LAVAGE UNI File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $310.32 | $431.00 | $62.83–$431.00 | 28% |
| Mercy Hospital Washington one side Washington, MO · (636) 239-8000 Rem Impact Cerumen Irr/Lavage Unilat File of Jun 10, 2026 · source file | $321.75 | $495.00 | $32.18–$445.50 | 35% |
| Jersey Community Hospital Jerseyville, IL · (618) 498-6402 69209-Cerumen Irrigation/Lavage File of Mar 10, 2026 · source file | $416.00 | $416.00 | $91.87–$353.60 | — |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln both sides Troy, MO · (636) 528-8551 Rem Impact Cerumen Irr/Lavage Bilat File of Jun 10, 2026 · source file | $222.30 | $342.00 | $22.23–$342.00 | 35% |
| Mercy Hospital South both sides Saint Louis, MO · (314) 525-1000 Rem Impact Cerumen Irr/Lavage Bilat File of Jun 10, 2026 · source file | $331.50 | $510.00 | $16.00–$1,199.00 | 35% |
| Mercy Hospital Washington both sides Washington, MO · (636) 239-8000 Rem Impact Cerumen Irr/Lavage Bilat File of Jun 10, 2026 · source file | $349.05 | $537.00 | $288.00 | 35% |
| Mercy Hospital Jefferson both sides Festus, MO · (636) 933-1000 Rem Impact Cerumen Irr/Lavage Bilat File of Jun 10, 2026 · source file | $359.45 | $553.00 | $3,428.00–$8,893.00 | 35% |
| Mercy Hospital St Louis both sides Saint Louis, MO · (314) 251-6000 Rem Impact Cerumen Irr/Lavage Bilat File of Jun 4, 2026 · source file | $359.45 | $553.00 | $239.00–$310.00 | 35% |
Hospital The hospital that published the price, its city and the line exactly as written in its price file.
Cash price The hospital's own price for a patient paying without insurance (“discounted cash” in its price file). Hospitals must publish it under federal law, 45 CFR 180.50. Call to confirm it before booking. More
List price The hospital's full chargemaster price (“gross charge”) before any discount. Almost nobody pays it; the gap to the cash price shows what the self-pay discount is worth. More
Insurers pay The lowest and highest rates this hospital has agreed with insurance plans for the same item, from its price file. If the cash price is below what your plan pays and you have not met your deductible, paying cash can cost you less. More
Off list How much lower the cash price is than the list price.
At or below Medicare This cash price is at or below what Medicare pays a hospital for the same service, which is unusually low. It is what the hospital's file says; confirm it and what it includes before booking. More
No cash discount This line's cash price equals the hospital's full list price. Many hospitals still reduce bills for uninsured patients: ask the billing office for its self-pay discount in writing. More
Outpatient: lowest $26.60, median $147.67, highest $416.00 — a 15.6× difference within the same market.
Both sides : lowest $222.30, median $349.05, highest $359.45 — a 1.6× difference within the same market.
The two groups are not comparable and are not averaged together: a
price for both sides of the body covers twice the work. Merging them is how a single
published "median" ends up far above what one side actually costs.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 9 facilities here, median $114.48. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 13 of 16 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 2 it is below every plan's rate. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What ear irrigation is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Ear irrigation explained.