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Esophagus Stretching Over a Guide Wire

North Carolina 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?

$1,295

Typical total for the visit. In North Carolina, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,295 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $295 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 6 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$295$219 to $417
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,000$589 to $1,479

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,000 · 10th to 90th $389 to $2,692Professionalmedian $295 · 10th to 90th $155 to $794
$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $1,000professional $295

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
$125.89
Median
$389.05
Typical High
$7,413.10
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$125.89
Median
$354.81
Typical High
$426.58
BCBS North Carolina
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$676.08
Median
$1,000.00
Typical High
$1,348.96
BCBS North Carolina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$173.78
Median
$323.59
Typical High
$812.83
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$457.09
Median
$1,318.26
Typical High
$1,778.28
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$616.60
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$229.09
Median
$229.09
Typical High
$933.25
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$302.00
Median
$575.44
Typical High
$1,258.93
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$181.97
Median
$204.17
Typical High
$416.87
Oscar Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$177.83
Median
$177.83
Typical High
$186.21
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$478.63
Median
$831.76
Typical High
$4,365.16
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$125.89
Median
$173.78
Typical High
$489.78
7 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
$63.10
Median
$134.90
Typical High
$190.55
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$25.12
Median
$53.70
Typical High
$77.62
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$95.50
Median
$204.17
Typical High
$288.40
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$19.05
Median
$40.74
Typical High
$57.54
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$12.59
Median
$26.92
Typical High
$38.90
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
51 · Multiple procedures
Typical Low
$186.21
Median
$281.84
Typical High
$851.14
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
51 · Multiple procedures
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$100.00
Typical High
$208.93

Where North Carolina 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

North Carolina· 36th of 51

$1,295

$295 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.