Prices at 17 hospitals in Kentucky, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $281 — 81% below the US median ($1,454), roughly 0.5× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands ARH Regional Medical Center | Prestonsburg, KY | $233 | $74 | ★ 2/5 | 190 min | — |
| Whitesburg ARH Hospital | Whitesburg, KY | $247 | $70 | ★ 3/5 | 160 min | — |
| Tug Valley ARH Regional Medical Center | South Williamson, KY | $247 | $70 | ★ 2/5 | 168 min | — |
| Saint Joseph London | London, KY | $281 | $1,362 | ★ 3/5 | 185 min | — |
| CHI Saint Joseph Flaget Memorial Hospital | Bardstown, KY | $281 | $1,362 | ★ 3/5 | 149 min | — |
| Saint Joseph Mount Sterling | Mount Sterling, KY | $281 | $1,362 | ★ 4/5 | 134 min | — |
| Saint Joseph East | Lexington, KY | $281 | $1,362 | ★ 2/5 | 131 min | — |
| CHI Saint Joseph Berea Nf | Berea, KY | $281 | $1,362 | ★ 4/5 | 126 min | — |
| Deaconess Henderson Hospital | Henderson, KY | $452 | $269 | ★ 2/5 | 127 min | — |
| Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital | Paducah, KY | $6,956 | $902 | ★ 3/5 | 173 min | — |
CMS rating = overall hospital star rating (1–5); ER wait = median minutes in the emergency department; Readmit = 30-day readmission rate (lower is better) — all from Medicare’s Care Compare; “—” = not reported. Data last updated October 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $281 — about 0.5× the Medicare rate ($522). Reasonable. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($1,044).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $1,603 list price could save about $1,322 (82%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Esophageal dilation cost in other states
All Esophageal dilation prices (national) → · All hospitals in Kentucky →