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Esophagus Stretching Over a Guide Wire

New Jersey 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?

$2,320

Typical total for the visit. In New Jersey, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,320 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $182 to the doctor who performs it, and $2,138 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 5 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$182$115 to $347
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$2,138$1,349 to $4,365

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $2,138 · 10th to 90th $933 to $6,918Professionalmedian $182 · 10th to 90th $85 to $427
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $2,138professional $182

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
$2,754.23
Median
$5,248.07
Typical High
$10,964.78
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$134.90
Median
$134.90
Typical High
$416.87
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$691.83
Median
$1,412.54
Typical High
$2,290.87
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$102.33
Median
$281.84
Typical High
$489.78
Emblem Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$489.78
Median
$691.83
Typical High
$691.83
Horizon BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,318.26
Median
$2,454.71
Typical High
$7,244.36
Horizon BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$123.03
Median
$389.05
Typical High
$575.44
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$707.95
Median
$1,995.26
Typical High
$5,623.41
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$75.86
Median
$208.93
Typical High
$363.08
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
$66.07
Typical High
$194.98
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$26.92
Median
$26.92
Typical High
$77.62
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$100.00
Typical High
$295.12
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$19.95
Median
$19.95
Typical High
$58.88
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$13.49
Median
$13.49
Typical High
$38.90

Where New Jersey 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

New Jersey· 10th of 51

$2,320

$182 physician + $2,138 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.