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Esophagus Stretching Over a Guide Wire

Virginia 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?

$1,898

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,898 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $200 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,698 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 8 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$200$141 to $417
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,698$589 to $3,631

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,698 · 10th to 90th $174 to $5,754Professionalmedian $200 · 10th to 90th $126 to $479
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $1,698professional $200

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
$147.91
Median
$2,818.38
Typical High
$10,000.00
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$363.08
Typical High
$478.63
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,000.00
Median
$3,630.78
Typical High
$4,168.69
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$123.03
Median
$295.12
Typical High
$467.74
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$125.89
Median
$141.25
Typical High
$165.96
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$346.74
Median
$912.01
Typical High
$1,737.80
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$128.82
Median
$218.78
Typical High
$426.58
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$407.38
Median
$478.63
Typical High
$602.56
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$181.97
Median
$229.09
Typical High
$275.42
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$194.98
Typical High
$616.60
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$173.78
Median
$181.97
Typical High
$363.08
Sentara
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$128.82
Median
$912.01
Typical High
$3,630.78
Sentara
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$398.11
Typical High
$616.60
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$588.84
Median
$2,187.76
Typical High
$5,888.44
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$107.15
Median
$194.98
Typical High
$478.63
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
$74.13
Median
$91.20
Typical High
$239.88
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$29.51
Median
$36.31
Typical High
$95.50
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$112.20
Median
$138.04
Typical High
$354.81
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$22.39
Median
$27.54
Typical High
$70.79
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$14.79
Median
$18.20
Typical High
$47.86

Where Virginia 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

Virginia· 14th of 51

$1,898

$200 physician + $1,698 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.