Ear tubes, local anesthesia cost in California
In California, 51 hospitals publish a cash price for ear tube placement (tympanostomy) with local anesthesia, one ear: from $392.74 to $4,080.00, with a median of $1,024.40. The lowest price is at Mark Twain Medical Center (San Andreas). The highest price is 10.4× the lowest.
- The median here, $1,024.40, is 38% above the US median of $741.60.
- That is 1.9× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($551.01).
- California ranks 28th of 34 states by median, cheapest first.
- 4 of 51 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
California law (Health and Safety Code §127405): if you are uninsured or have high medical costs and your family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, a hospital may not expect you to pay more than it would expect from Medicare or Medi-Cal, whichever is greater. That can be less than the cash prices below; ask the hospital for its discount payment policy. A separate physician fee may still apply. Other states' laws.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 69433. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Oct 30, 2026. See them on a map
Lowest$392.74Mark Twain Medical Center
Median$1,024.40half of hospitals charge less
Highest$4,080.00in California
Lowest saves$631.66vs the median
Hospitals in California, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Twain Medical Center lowest San Andreas · San Andreas, CA RHC TYMPANSTOM L/TOP ANES | $392.74 | $581.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| Scripps Green Hospital La Jolla · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA HC Tympanostomy Local/Topical Anesthesia | $409.41 | $1,637.64 | Mar 30, 2026 source file |
| Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas Encinitas · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA HC Tympanostomy Local/Topical Anesthesia | $409.41 | $1,637.64 | Mar 30, 2026 source file |
| Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla La Jolla · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA HC Tympanostomy Local/Topical Anesthesia | $409.41 | $1,637.64 | Mar 30, 2026 source file |
| Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista San Diego · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA HC Tympanostomy Local/Topical Anesthesia | $409.41 | $1,637.64 | Mar 30, 2026 source file |
| Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego San Diego · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA HC Tympanostomy Local/Topical Anesthesia | $409.41 | $1,637.64 | Mar 30, 2026 source file |
| Tahoe Forest Hospital Truckee · Truckee-Grass Valley, CA Incision of eardrum with insertion of eardrum tube under local or topical anesthesia | $610.00 | $610.00 | Sep 28, 2026 source file |
| Desert Valley Hospital Victorville · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA TUBE TYMPANOSTOMY 12MX10MM | $690.00 | $1,379.61 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Incision Of Eardrum With Insertion Of Eardrum Tube Under Local Or Topical Anesthesia | $803.00 | $1,460.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Riverside University Medical Center Moreno Valley · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA HC Tympanostomy/Insert Tube/Bil | $827.64 | $827.64 | Mar 30, 2026 source file |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Outpatient Surgical Group 1 | $936.62 | $1,440.95 | Nov 26, 2025 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Baldwin Park Baldwin Park · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Downey Downey · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fontana Fontana · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Los Angeles Los Angeles · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Moreno Valley Moreno Valley · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Orange County - Anaheim Anaheim · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Panorama City Panorama City · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Riverside Riverside · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa San Diego · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion San Diego · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos San Marcos · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - South Bay Harbor City · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - West LA Los Angeles · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Woodland Hills Woodland Hills · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Fnd Hospital - Irvine Irvine · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Ontario Medical Center Campus Ontario · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $1,024.40 | $1,970.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Keck Hospital of USC Los Angeles · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Tympanostomy Local/Topical Anesthesia | $1,222.25 | $1,222.25 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Stanford Health Care Stanford · San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Tympanostomy W/Anes Local | $1,317.20 | $3,293.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital & Rehab Center - Vallejo Vallejo · Vallejo, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Antioch Antioch · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fremont Fremont · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fresno Fresno · Fresno, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Manteca Manteca · Stockton-Lodi, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Modesto Modesto · Modesto, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Oakland/Richmond Oakland · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Redwood City Redwood City · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Roseville Roseville · Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Sacramento Sacramento · Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Francisco San Francisco · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Jose San Jose · San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Leandro San Leandro · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Rafael San Rafael · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Santa Clara Santa Clara · San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Santa Rosa Santa Rosa · Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - South Sacramento Sacramento · Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - South San Francisco South San Francisco · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Vacaville Vacaville · Vallejo, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Walnut Creek Walnut Creek · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Fnd Hospital - Richmond Campus Richmond · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA TYMPANOSTOMY LOCAL/TOPICAL ANESTHESIA | $2,088.80 | $3,730.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| San Bernardino County Colton · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA HC CREATE EARDRUM OPENING,LOCAL ANESTH | $4,080.00 | $4,080.00 | Feb 25, 2026 source file |
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
File date When the hospital last updated its price file, as the file says itself. A dash means the file gives no date.
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
Check the item The description in the hospital file looks like a supply or device (a catheter, a brace, an implant), not this procedure. The hospital may have filed it under the wrong code: ask before relying on this price.
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 11 | $936.62 | $1,024.40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 10 | $2,088.80 | $2,088.80 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 9 | $409.41 | $409.41 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 7 | $690.00 | $1,024.40 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 3 | $2,088.80 | $2,088.80 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 3 | $1,317.20 | $2,088.80 |
| Vallejo, CA | 2 | $2,088.80 | $2,088.80 |
| Fresno, CA | 1 | $2,088.80 | $2,088.80 |
| Modesto, CA | 1 | $2,088.80 | $2,088.80 |
| San Andreas, CA | 1 | $392.74 | $392.74 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 1 | $2,088.80 | $2,088.80 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 1 | $2,088.80 | $2,088.80 |
| Truckee-Grass Valley, CA | 1 | $610.00 | $610.00 |
Market A metro area (as the Census Bureau defines it) or, outside metro areas, a town. Each links to every hospital price there.
Hospitals How many hospitals publish a cash price for this code here. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price.
Lowest The lowest cash price among those hospitals.
Median The middle cash price: half of the hospitals charge less, half charge more. One price per hospital. More
What ear tubes, local anesthesia is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Ear tubes, local anesthesia explained.
Ear tube placement (tympanostomy) with local anesthesia, one ear in other states
- Alabama$279.75, 1 hospital
- Alaska$938.00, 3 hospitals
- Arizona$584.09, 2 hospitals
- Arkansas$468.00
- Colorado$470.43, 3 hospitals
- Connecticut$738.24, 1 hospital
- Delaware$2,746.00, 1 hospital
- District of Columbia$1,678.43, 1 hospital
- Florida$1,072.00
- Georgia$911.43
- Hawaii$1,221.50, 3 hospitals
- Idaho$709.71
- Illinois$550.00
- Indiana$593.60, 3 hospitals
- Iowa$417.02
- Kansas$446.40
- Kentucky$323.80
- Louisiana$508.00
- Maine$344.25
- Massachusetts$1,424.50
- Michigan$326.23
- Minnesota$437.38
- Mississippi$370.80
- Missouri$541.70
- Montana$435.78
- Nebraska$455.17
- Nevada$807.20, 2 hospitals
- New Jersey$3,886.00
- New Mexico$389.92, 2 hospitals
- New York$1,089.00
- North Carolina$651.78
- North Dakota$996.83
- Ohio$1,324.05
- Oklahoma$284.00
- Oregon$563.08
- Pennsylvania$1,096.60
- Rhode Island$2,938.32, 2 hospitals
- South Carolina$999.22
- South Dakota$741.60
- Tennessee$380.60
- Texas$811.68
- Utah$875.98, 1 hospital
- Vermont$352.40, 4 hospitals
- Virginia$818.00
- Washington$523.75
- West Virginia$620.00
- Wisconsin$522.60
- Wyoming$458.28, 2 hospitals
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.