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Esophagus Stretching Over a Guide Wire

Montana 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?

$722

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $722 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $275 to the doctor who performs it, and $447 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 6 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$275$204 to $603
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$447$204 to $724

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $447 · 10th to 90th $200 to $1,000Professionalmedian $275 · 10th to 90th $129 to $646
$100$200$500$1K$2Kfacility $447professional $275

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
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$123.03
Median
$380.19
Typical High
$1,148.15
BCBS Montana
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$204.17
Typical High
$602.56
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$1,445.44
Typical High
$4,073.80
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$194.98
Median
$363.08
Typical High
$602.56
MountainHealth Co-op
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$199.53
Median
$234.42
Typical High
$776.25
MountainHealth Co-op
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$128.82
Median
$245.47
Typical High
$758.58
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$1,445.44
Typical High
$4,073.80
Providence
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$79.43
Median
$204.17
Typical High
$645.65
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$602.56
Median
$1,000.00
Typical High
$1,862.09
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$269.15
Typical High
$645.65
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
$64.57
Median
$190.55
Typical High
$575.44
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$25.70
Median
$75.86
Typical High
$229.09
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$95.50
Median
$281.84
Typical High
$851.14
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$19.05
Median
$56.23
Typical High
$173.78
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$12.88
Median
$38.02
Typical High
$114.82

Where Montana 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

Montana· 51st of 51

$722

$275 physician + $447 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.