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Esophagus Stretching Over a Guide Wire

South 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?

$1,076

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,076 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $282 to the doctor who performs it, and $794 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$282$151 to $417
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$794$603 to $1,660

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $794 · 10th to 90th $479 to $4,169Professionalmedian $282 · 10th to 90th $126 to $501
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $794professional $282

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
$151.36
Median
$4,897.79
Typical High
$21,877.62
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$144.54
Median
$194.98
Typical High
$446.68
BCBS South Carolina
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$512.86
Median
$794.33
Typical High
$3,388.44
BCBS South Carolina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$112.20
Median
$281.84
Typical High
$389.05
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$457.09
Median
$977.24
Typical High
$1,479.11
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$151.36
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$501.19
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$186.21
Median
$199.53
Typical High
$933.25
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$151.36
Median
$478.63
Typical High
$1,023.29
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$177.83
Median
$331.13
Typical High
$436.52
Molina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$363.08
Median
$478.63
Typical High
$724.44
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$512.86
Median
$1,479.11
Typical High
$8,912.51
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$120.23
Median
$208.93
Typical High
$407.38
6 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
$74.13
Median
$107.15
Typical High
$223.87
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$30.20
Median
$52.48
Typical High
$91.20
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$112.20
Median
$162.18
Typical High
$338.84
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$22.39
Median
$32.36
Typical High
$67.61
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$14.79
Median
$21.38
Typical High
$44.67
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
51 · Multiple procedures
Typical Low
$89.13
Median
$165.96
Typical High
$275.42

Where South 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

South Carolina· 46th of 51

$1,076

$282 physician + $794 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.