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Esophagus Stretching Over a Guide Wire

Iowa 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?

$1,921

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,921 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $407 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,514 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 8 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$407$257 to $912
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,514$724 to $3,236

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,514 · 10th to 90th $347 to $5,495Professionalmedian $407 · 10th to 90th $204 to $1,096
$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $1,514professional $407

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
$602.56
Median
$2,630.27
Typical High
$6,760.83
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$131.83
Median
$263.03
Typical High
$630.96
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$645.65
Median
$1,412.54
Typical High
$1,737.80
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$257.04
Median
$407.38
Typical High
$912.01
Hally Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$120.23
Median
$302.00
Typical High
$707.95
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$257.04
Median
$1,047.13
Typical High
$5,011.87
Medica
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$213.80
Median
$776.25
Typical High
$2,818.38
Midlands
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$257.04
Median
$676.08
Typical High
$954.99
Midlands
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$851.14
Median
$1,380.38
Typical High
$1,737.80
Midlands
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$323.59
Median
$616.60
Typical High
$1,071.52
Oscar Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$131.83
Median
$295.12
Typical High
$851.14
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$724.44
Median
$2,951.21
Typical High
$5,888.44
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$331.13
Typical High
$831.76
Wellmark
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$257.04
Median
$302.00
Typical High
$1,023.29
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
$316.23
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$26.92
Median
$43.65
Typical High
$125.89
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$162.18
Typical High
$467.74
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$19.95
Median
$32.36
Typical High
$93.33
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$13.49
Median
$21.38
Typical High
$63.10

Where Iowa 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

Iowa· 13th of 51

$1,921

$407 physician + $1,514 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.