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Esophagus Stretching Over a Guide Wire

Rhode Island 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?

$1,654

Typical total for the visit. In Rhode Island, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,654 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $209 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,445 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 4 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$209$174 to $513
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,445$794 to $3,715

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,445 · 10th to 90th $646 to $4,898Professionalmedian $209 · 10th to 90th $138 to $661
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $1,445professional $209

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
$1,513.56
Median
$1,548.82
Typical High
$3,981.07
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$177.83
Median
$181.97
Typical High
$346.74
BCBS Rhode Island
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$331.13
Typical High
$512.86
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$446.68
Median
$1,174.90
Typical High
$1,659.59
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$208.93
Median
$302.00
Typical High
$660.69
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$645.65
Median
$1,445.44
Typical High
$5,011.87
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$125.89
Median
$165.96
Typical High
$457.09
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
$91.20
Median
$91.20
Typical High
$91.20
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$36.31
Median
$36.31
Typical High
$36.31
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$138.04
Typical High
$138.04
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$27.54
Median
$27.54
Typical High
$27.54
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$18.20
Median
$18.20
Typical High
$18.20

Where Rhode Island 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

Rhode Island· 21st of 51

$1,654

$209 physician + $1,445 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.