Price Checker / CPT 43338
How much does Esoph Lengthening cost?
CPT 43338 · Based on 2026 Medicare rates and hospital-published pricing
The average hospital charge is around 32x the fair price — among the most extreme markups. Dispute this.
Fair price
$420–$490
What this should cost
With insurance
~$2,800
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$610
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $14,633 is $14,173 over the fair price (about 32x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for Esoph Lengthening
From hospital-published transparency (MRF) files. These are the hospitals in our database that list this procedure.
| Hospital | Gross Charge | Cash Rate | vs Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dominican Hospital SANTA CRUZ, CA | — | — | 26201% |
| Aurora Medical Center Manitowoc GRAFTON, WI | — | — | 23801% |
| Aurora Psychiatric Hospital WAUWATOSA, WI | — | — | 23801% |
| UCSF Health Saint Francis Hospital SAN FRANCISCO, CA | — | — | 20627% |
| "St. John's Hospital Camarillo" SPRINGFIELD, CA | — | — | 20309% |
| HCA Houston Healthcare North Cypress Cypress, TX | — | — | 18530% |
| Arroyo Grande Community Hospital , CA | — | — | 17968% |
| Lake Region Healthcare Hospital , MN | — | — | 17595% |
| HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE CLEAR LAKE Webster, TX | — | — | 16102% |
| HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE MEDICAL CENTER Houston, TX | — | — | 15553% |
| HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE PEARLAND Pearland, TX | — | — | 15553% |
| HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE SOUTHEAST Pasadena, TX | — | — | 15553% |
| HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE TOMBALL Tomball, TX | — | — | 15553% |
| UCHealth Grandview Hospital COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | — | — | 15399% |
| CENTENNIAL HOSPITAL A CAMPUS OF TMCA Lakewood, CO | — | — | 12629% |
Were you billed for this procedure?
Send us your bill and we'll compare every line item against Medicare rates and your hospital's published prices. Free review, no obligation.
About Esoph Lengthening
CPT code 43338 refers to esoph lengthening (billing description: "Esoph lengthening"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $104 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $104 in a doctor's office.
The Medicare rate is the closest thing to an objective "what this work is actually worth." A fair cash price for the uninsured is generally 1.5–3x that rate. Hospital sticker (gross) charges are often far higher — but almost nobody actually pays them.
What to do if you were overcharged
- 1Send us your bill — we'll identify this code and compare it against the rates shown above.
- 2Get a dispute letter — citing the Medicare rate and your hospital's own published pricing data.
- 3We negotiate for you — 25% of savings, no savings = no fee.