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Esophagus Stretching Over a Guide Wire

Colorado 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?

$4,090

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $4,090 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $288 to the doctor who performs it, and $3,802 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 7 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$288$174 to $537
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$3,802$1,445 to $5,754

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $3,802 · 10th to 90th $813 to $8,318Professionalmedian $288 · 10th to 90th $148 to $741
$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $3,802professional $288

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
$954.99
Median
$3,311.31
Typical High
$8,709.64
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$131.83
Median
$213.80
Typical High
$436.52
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,137.96
Median
$5,248.07
Typical High
$8,912.51
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$158.49
Median
$398.11
Typical High
$794.33
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$436.52
Median
$1,258.93
Typical High
$1,698.24
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$213.80
Typical High
$588.84
Denver HMP
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$131.83
Median
$199.53
Typical High
$724.44
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$346.74
Typical High
$741.31
Select Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$234.42
Median
$812.83
Typical High
$1,479.11
Select Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$107.15
Median
$151.36
Typical High
$436.52
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$676.08
Median
$1,412.54
Typical High
$5,011.87
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$151.36
Median
$257.04
Typical High
$616.60
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
$66.07
Median
$107.15
Typical High
$194.98
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$26.30
Median
$42.66
Typical High
$79.43
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$97.72
Median
$162.18
Typical High
$295.12
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$19.50
Median
$32.36
Typical High
$58.88
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$13.18
Median
$21.38
Typical High
$38.90

Where Colorado 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

Colorado· 1st of 51

$4,090

$288 physician + $3,802 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.