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Esophagus Stretching Over a Guide Wire

West 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?

$1,320

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,320 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $224 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,096 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$224$135 to $372
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,096$562 to $1,413

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,096 · 10th to 90th $398 to $5,370Professionalmedian $224 · 10th to 90th $112 to $537
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $1,096professional $224

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Small sample; interpret with caution. Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,230.27
Median
$1,230.27
Typical High
$1,412.54
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$128.82
Median
$269.15
Typical High
$371.54
CareSource
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$151.36
Median
$151.36
Typical High
$151.36
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$208.93
Median
$398.11
Typical High
$2,454.71
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$158.49
Median
$398.11
Typical High
$977.24
Highmark BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$9,772.37
Median
$9,772.37
Typical High
$9,772.37
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$426.58
Median
$660.69
Typical High
$5,370.32
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$346.74
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
$64.57
Median
$83.18
Typical High
$186.21
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$25.70
Median
$33.11
Typical High
$74.13
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$97.72
Median
$125.89
Typical High
$275.42
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$19.50
Median
$25.12
Typical High
$56.23
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$12.88
Median
$16.60
Typical High
$37.15

Where West 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

West Virginia· 33rd of 51

$1,320

$224 physician + $1,096 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.