go back

Esophagus Stretching Over a Guide Wire

Arkansas rates for HCPCS 43226

A flexible scope is passed through the mouth into the food pipe, a guide wire is threaded through the narrowed section, and tapered dilators are passed over that wire to stretch the narrowing open. The wire keeps the dilators on a safe path through the tight segment. It relieves food sticking and difficulty swallowing.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Esophagus Stretching Over a Guide Wire cost?

$1,234

Typical total for the visit. In Arkansas, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,234 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $234 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,000 to the hospital or surgery center where it takes place. Done somewhere without a facility charge, you pay only the first.

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 4 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$234$158 to $398
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,000$692 to $1,778

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,000 · 10th to 90th $417 to $2,455Professionalmedian $234 · 10th to 90th $138 to $537
$100$200$500$1K$2Kfacility $1,000professional $234

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$158.49
Median
$1,000.00
Typical High
$2,454.71
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$158.49
Median
$263.03
Typical High
$363.08
BCBS Arkansas
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$831.76
Median
$1,778.28
Typical High
$2,454.71
BCBS Arkansas
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$181.97
Typical High
$537.03
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$380.19
Median
$794.33
Typical High
$977.24
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$165.96
Median
$245.47
Typical High
$562.34
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$407.38
Median
$588.84
Typical High
$2,511.89
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$123.03
Median
$204.17
Typical High
$501.19
5 more rates with less common billing modifiers

A modifier changes what was billed, for example a reduced or repeated service. Each of these modifiers carries under 10% of the published rates for this code. Modifier combinations, and modifiers with fewer than 30 rates for a carrier, are not listed.

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
52 · Reduced service
Typical Low
$79.43
Median
$100.00
Typical High
$181.97
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$31.62
Median
$39.81
Typical High
$72.44
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$120.23
Median
$147.91
Typical High
$275.42
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$23.99
Median
$30.20
Typical High
$54.95
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$15.85
Median
$19.95
Typical High
$36.31

Where Arkansas sits

The same service costs 5.7 times more in Colorado 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.

Physician feeFacility fee

Arkansas· 38th of 51

$1,234

$234 physician + $1,000 facility

CO $4,090MT $722

Median negotiated rate in each state, from every insurer that publishes one. States where no insurer publishes a rate for this service are not shown.