Cataract Surgery Cost in California (2026)
High-cost market · RPP 113.3 · CA
What Drives Pricing Here
Three factors explain most of why cataract surgery costs what it does in California.
Regional Price Parity
California's cost-of-living index sits at 113.3 — above the national benchmark (100). This directly scales facility and staffing overhead, which flow through to every procedure price.
Specialist Availability
178 facilities perform this procedure in California — competition keeps pricing honest and gives you real leverage to shop quotes.
Vs. National Benchmark
At +13.3% above the national average ($5,000), California sits in premium territory. Likely drivers: high demand, metro concentration, or tier-one facility networks.
Cataract Surgery in California: What to Know
California offers advanced cataract surgery options, with UCSF Health boasting Northern California's largest eye surgery program. For complex cases, the UCLA Health Stein Eye Institute and Doheny Eye Centers are nationally recognized referral centers. Cutting-edge robotic cataract surgery, using femtosecond lasers, is available at facilities like Orange Coast Eye Center in Fountain Valley and Sacramento Eye Consultants.
To potentially lower costs, consider ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), as CalPERS saw a 21.1% increase in ASC use and a price decrease after implementing reference pricing. Many patients also travel to California for specialized care, highlighting the state's expertise. Verify current pricing directly with providers.
Estimated Cost Breakdown in California
California is among the priciest states for cataract surgery. The elevated costs reflect the state's higher cost of living across these components.
Facility Fee
OR time and hospital staffing
Most significant cost
Surgeon Fee
Expertise and experience level
Implants & Supplies
Post-Op Care
Recovery and aftercare
Anesthesia
Anesthesiologist or CRNA fee
Total Estimated Cost
California all-in range
Financing Options
Many California clinics partner with CareCredit or Alphaeon. A typical 24-month, 0% APR term on $5,665 looks like:
- Soft credit check — no hard pull
- Instant approval decisions
- HSA/FSA eligible for qualifying cases
Prices reflect regional cost-of-living adjustments. How we calculate these numbers →
Ranges adjusted for California's regional price parity (113.3). See the national percentage breakdown →
Facility Costs in California
These California facilities handle the most cataract surgery cases. The negotiated rate reflects what's actually paid after insurer discounts.
| Facility | City | Negotiated Rate | Medicare | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno Surgical Hospital | Fresno | $2,427 | $1,927 | 2,519 |
| Ronald Reagan Ucla Medical Center | Los Angeles | $2,651 | $2,108 | 1,948 |
| University Of California Irvine Medical Center | Orange | $2,464 | $1,960 | 1,420 |
| Stanford Health Care | Stanford | $3,240 | $2,581 | 1,322 |
| Uc San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr | San Diego | $2,473 | $1,969 | 1,239 |
| University Of California Davis Medical Center | Sacramento | $2,873 | $2,286 | 1,023 |
| Mills-Peninsula Medical Center | Burlingame | $3,195 | $2,539 | 984 |
| Ucsf Medical Center | San Francisco | $3,225 | $2,566 | 852 |
| El Centro Regional Medical Center | El Centro | $2,443 | $1,945 | 736 |
| Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center Of Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz | $3,127 | $2,488 | 702 |
Cataract Surgery Cost in Nearby States
Among neighboring states, California has the highest cataract surgery costs. Patients near the border may find savings nearby.
Expert Answers for California Patients
Local regulations, insurance nuance, and surgical standards specific to California.
Compare California with any other state
See national pricing, all 50 state comparisons, and detailed cost factors in the main cataract surgery cost guide.
View full cataract surgery guideWhat should I expect to pay for cataract surgery in California?
Why are cataract surgery prices higher in California?
Will my health insurance pay for cataract surgery?
How do I choose a cataract surgery facility in California?
Is it worth traveling to another state for cataract surgery?
How quickly can I recover from cataract surgery?
Can Medicaid help pay for cataract surgery in California?
How we calculate cataract surgery costs in California
Cost estimates combine procedure-specific pricing data with regional cost-of-living and provider-supply adjustments. Primary sources:
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Hospital pricing transparency files — CMS-required machine-readable data published by hospitals under the CMS Hospital Price Transparency rule (effective January 2021). Provides actual negotiated rates between hospitals and insurers.
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HCUP (Healthcare Cost & Utilization Project) — AHRQ's HCUP databases provide nationally-representative procedure cost data by state, payer, and patient demographics.
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Bureau of Labor Statistics — Healthcare Practitioner Occupational Wages — BLS OEWS data on surgeon, anesthesiologist, and surgical staff wages by state, used to model regional labor-cost differences in procedure pricing.
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BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis state-level price-level indices, used to adjust national procedure averages for California's cost-of-living relative to the national mean.
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FAIR Health Consumer Cost Lookup — the FAIR Health database aggregates billed and allowed amounts from over 36 billion claim records, providing a check on procedure-cost ranges by ZIP code.
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Medicare Provider Utilization & Payment Data — CMS public-use files on Medicare-allowed amounts and submitted charges by HCPCS/CPT code and state, used as a baseline for procedure-cost ranges.
Estimates are illustrative and reflect typical pricing ranges; actual costs depend on insurance coverage, surgical complexity, anesthesia type, hospital vs. ambulatory setting, and individual patient factors. Always confirm pricing directly with providers and your insurance carrier. See our methodology page for full calculation details.