Cataract surgery, complex in Iowa
Below is what hospitals in Iowa charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 14 hospitals in Iowa run from $1,450 to $7,594. The typical hospital charges $2,794. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $2,794
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
14 hospitals. Sort by: Cash price ▲ · Negotiated median · Gross charge · Negotiated low
What these numbers mean.
Cash price is what the hospital lists for patients paying out of pocket.
Negotiated median is the middle of what insurance companies actually agreed to pay.
Gross charge is the sticker price — almost nobody pays it.
What you will actually pay is usually different from both numbers:
with insurance, your deductible, copay, or coinsurance decides what you owe —
the negotiated rate is what the insurer pays, not your bill.
A single line item may not be the whole cost: physician, anesthesia, pathology,
and facility fees can be billed separately.
Prices vary by hospital and change over time; always confirm with the hospital before you go.
| Hospital | Cash price | Where it sits | Insurance pays (typical) | Gross charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County Health Center IA · Price file August 20, 2026 | $1,450Insurance typically pays $592Sticker price $2,416 | Lowest price of any hospital | $592 | $2,416 |
| Stewart Memorial Community Hospital IA | $1,766Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,208 | Cheaper than 92% of hospitals | — | $2,208 |
| Guthrie County Hospital IA · Price file September 26, 2026 | $2,233Insurance typically pays $598Sticker price $2,233 | Cheaper than 85% of hospitals | $598 | $2,233 |
| Jones Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,794Insurance typically pays $1,737Sticker price $3,492 | Cheaper than 77% of hospitals | $1,737 | $3,492 |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,794Insurance typically pays $1,737Sticker price $3,492 | Cheaper than 77% of hospitals | $1,737 | $3,492 |
| St Lukes Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,794Insurance typically pays $1,737Sticker price $3,492 | Cheaper than 77% of hospitals | $1,737 | $3,492 |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,794Insurance typically pays $1,737Sticker price $3,492 | Cheaper than 77% of hospitals | $1,737 | $3,492 |
| Unitypoint Health - Marshalltown IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,794Insurance typically pays $1,737Sticker price $3,492 | Cheaper than 77% of hospitals | $1,737 | $3,492 |
| Trinity Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,794Insurance typically pays $1,737Sticker price $3,492 | Cheaper than 77% of hospitals | $1,737 | $3,492 |
| Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,794Insurance typically pays $1,737Sticker price $3,492 | Cheaper than 77% of hospitals | $1,737 | $3,492 |
| Finley Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,794Insurance typically pays $1,737Sticker price $3,492 | Cheaper than 77% of hospitals | $1,737 | $3,492 |
| Trinity Muscatine IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,794Insurance typically pays $1,737Sticker price $3,492 | Cheaper than 77% of hospitals | $1,737 | $3,492 |
| Allen Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,794Insurance typically pays $1,737Sticker price $3,492 | Cheaper than 77% of hospitals | $1,737 | $3,492 |
| Adair County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file September 2, 2026 | $7,594Insurance typically pays $6,581Sticker price $10,125 | Highest price of any hospital | $6,581 | $10,125 |
Procedure code 66982. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.