A flexible lighted scope is passed through the mouth into the food pipe, and an object stuck there, such as swallowed food, a coin or a bone, is grasped and pulled out. The lining is checked afterward for injury from the object. It is done with sedation and is often urgent because a stuck object can block swallowing or damage the food pipe.
Rates data updated July 2026.
How much does Esophagus Scope to Remove a Swallowed Object cost?
$525
Typical facility fee. In South Dakota, July 2026.
Insurers have agreed to pay about $525 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $269 to $741.
These are rates insurers have negotiated with providers, not the amount a patient is billed. What you owe depends on your plan's deductible and coinsurance. Based on rates published by 5 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.
How much rates vary
Facilitymedian $2,455 · 10th to 90th $195 to $2,455Professionalmedian $457 · 10th to 90th $191 to $741
Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Each curve is scaled to its own total: facility and professional rates are different services, shown together to compare where they cluster. Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.
Rates by insurance carrier
Insurance Carrier
Facility/Professional
Modifier
Typical LowTypical Low is the 10th percentile of the published rates, Median the 50th, and Typical High the 90th. One in ten rates falls below Typical Low, and one in ten falls above Typical High.
MedianTypical Low is the 10th percentile of the published rates, Median the 50th, and Typical High the 90th. One in ten rates falls below Typical Low, and one in ten falls above Typical High.
Typical HighTypical Low is the 10th percentile of the published rates, Median the 50th, and Typical High the 90th. One in ten rates falls below Typical Low, and one in ten falls above Typical High.
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,290.87
Median
$2,454.71
Typical High
$2,454.71
Facility
Global
$2,290.87
$2,454.71
$2,454.71
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$354.81
Typical High
$933.25
Facility
Global
$154.88
$354.81
$933.25
Midlands
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$269.15
Median
$346.74
Typical High
$851.14
Professional
Global
$269.15
$346.74
$851.14
Sanford Health Plan
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$190.55
Median
$457.09
Typical High
$741.31
Professional
Global
$190.55
$457.09
$741.31
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,995.26
Median
$1,995.26
Typical High
$3,890.45
Facility
Global
$1,995.26
$1,995.26
$3,890.45
Where South Dakota sits
The same service costs 18.2 times more in Indiana than in Montana. Every bar is a state, most expensive first. Touch or drag across it to read any state, then open that state for its carriers and full range.