CPT 66984: cataract surgery with lens implant. What Medicare pays and what to ask
Cataract surgery bills combine several charges. Here is what 66984 covers and what Medicare's rate represents.
What this code means
CPT 66984 is cataract removal with insertion of an artificial lens, the most common type of cataract surgery.
It is usually done as an outpatient procedure in a hospital or a surgery center.
Why the bill can be much higher than the Medicare rate
The rate shown is the surgeon's fee. For surgery in a hospital or surgery center, Medicare pays the surgeon a different, facility-based amount, and the facility, the anesthesia and the lens are billed separately.
A bill for one eye can combine several of these charges.
| If a line is billed at | It would be |
|---|---|
| 5x the Medicare rate | $2,313.00 |
| 10x the Medicare rate | $4,626.00 |
| 20x the Medicare rate | $9,252.00 |
The Medicare rate is a published benchmark, not a legal ceiling on what a provider may charge. Our free scan flags a line as worth a closer look when it is billed at more than 10 times the Medicare rate.
Questions worth asking before you pay
- What does each line cover: surgeon, facility, anesthesia or lens?
- Was a standard lens or a premium lens used, and which one is billed to me?
- Which charges is my insurance responsible for?
Check every line against the official Medicare rates in about a minute. The scan is free.
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Source: Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (CMS, July 2026 release), national payment amount, non-facility setting. Last updated October 2026. This page is general information, not legal or medical advice. Rates change each year and a hospital bill can include charges that the benchmark does not cover.