Barium Swallow (Esophagus X-ray) cost at US hospitals

Esophagram with chest radiographs and delayed images, single-contrast study · CPT 74220

What is Barium Swallow (Esophagus X-ray)? Read the full explainer →

Barium Swallow (Esophagus X-ray)

An esophagram is a live x-ray movie of barium going down the esophagus, with still images taken afterward. It answers whether the swallowing tube itself is narrowed, blocked, refluxing, or moving abnormally. This version uses barium alone rather than barium plus gas.

$69.30

lowest cash price

$484.80

national median

$4,795.68

highest cash price

906

hospitals with a published cash price

Middle half of hospitals (25th–75th percentile) against the full range. The same procedure varies $69.30–$4,795.68 — the variation is the story.

Cheapest published cash price

$69.30

Bristol Regional Medical Center — BRISTOL, TN

Most expensive published cash price

$4,795.68

HCA FLORIDA LEHIGH HOSPITAL — LEHIGH ACRES, FL

Median cash price over time

Sep 1, 2025 ($728.85) → Sep 1, 2026 ($1,419.34)

By state

State Hospitals Lowest cash Median Highest
Alaska 3 $309.12 $967.20 $1,114.62
Arizona 23 $101.46 $150.92 $1,026.93
Arkansas 8 $84.90 $203.45 $558.00
California 90 $150.96 $478.40 $1,284.72
Colorado 17 $127.42 $1,763.36 $3,568.64
Florida 74 $348.40 $1,182.30 $4,795.68
Georgia 25 $390.13 $495.55 $3,739.73
Hawaii 2 $182.08 $182.08 $458.25
Illinois 51 $175.00 $584.80 $1,140.00
Indiana 26 $460.50 $484.80 $1,555.49
Iowa 27 $190.40 $381.01 $744.00
Kansas 11 $252.40 $976.84 $2,246.90
Kentucky 22 $334.55 $574.20 $1,555.49
Louisiana 2 $185.90 $185.90 $185.90
Maine 7 $481.75 $756.20 $1,272.50
Maryland 2 $321.60 $321.60 $321.60
Michigan 27 $90.16 $320.00 $994.40
Minnesota 19 $207.79 $208.99 $668.00
Mississippi 10 $79.20 $144.00 $200.97
Missouri 20 $254.10 $422.95 $2,640.38
Montana 2 $386.40 $386.40 $657.60
Nebraska 12 $313.77 $358.68 $776.05
Nevada 4 $275.50 $520.70 $726.44
New Hampshire 1 $876.85 $876.85 $876.85
New Jersey 21 $115.32 $197.04 $260.04
New Mexico 2 $502.32 $502.32 $502.32
New York 22 $210.66 $210.66 $1,614.00
North Carolina 15 $425.03 $425.03 $939.00
North Dakota 4 $415.20 $616.80 $635.20
Ohio 68 $229.20 $586.80 $1,260.00
Oklahoma 16 $221.54 $525.85 $2,064.36
Oregon 13 $106.92 $747.00 $826.20
Pennsylvania 32 $186.00 $427.80 $1,312.80
South Carolina 11 $272.50 $452.50 $1,705.00
South Dakota 4 $632.80 $647.20 $841.60
Tennessee 36 $69.30 $107.58 $1,983.27
Texas 111 $142.65 $501.34 $4,784.42
Virginia 41 $69.30 $587.50 $2,462.00
Washington 32 $359.32 $568.40 $1,413.30
West Virginia 16 $221.00 $381.00 $625.00
Wisconsin 32 $118.56 $505.00 $1,079.10
Wyoming 4 $143.22 $307.65 $334.74

All hospitals

Hospital Location Cash price Negotiated range
Raritan Bay Medical Center Perth Amboy, NJ $197.21 $63.00 – $483.42
JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute (JRI) Edison, NJ $197.21 $119.17 – $511.99
64-0881013 MBMC Jackson Jackson, MS $200.97 $161.61 – $452.51
Mercy Hospital Boonville Booneville, AR $203.45 $36.00 – $410.00
Ascension Seton Edgar B. Davis (Ascension Seton) Luling, TX $204.84 $64.64 – $737.99
Trinitas Regional Medical Center Elizabeth, NJ $205.34 $50.60 – $389.10
Abbott Northwestern Hospital MN 55407, MN $207.79 $56.44 – $445.67
Mercy Hospital MN 55443 | 550 Osborne Road NE. Fridley, MN $207.79 $56.44 – $331.00
United Hospital MN | 1175 Nininger Road. Hastings, MN $207.79 $56.44 – $331.00
Allina Health Faribault Medical Center Faribualt, MN $208.99 $69.64 – $336.00
Buffalo Hospital Buffalo, MN $208.99 $69.64 – $336.00
Cambridge Medical Center Cambridge, MN $208.99 $69.64 – $336.00
River Falls Area Hospital River Falls, MN $208.99 $89.13 – $441.18
Owatonna Hospital Owatonna, MN $208.99 $69.64 – $336.00
Hackensack University Medical Center Hackensack, NJ $209.65 $41.63 – $552.17
Palisades Medical Center North Bergen, NJ $209.65 $45.92 – $483.42
Bellevue Hospital Center NY 10016, NY $210.66 $1.00 – $328.43
Kings County Hospital Center Brooklyn, NY $210.66 $1.00 – $328.43
Lincoln Medical Center Bronx, NY $210.66 $1.00 – $328.43
Metropolitan Hospital Center New York, NY $210.66 $1.00 – $328.43
Harlem Hospital Center New York, NY $210.66 $1.00 – $328.43
Woodhull Medical Center Brooklyn, NY $210.66 $1.00 – $328.43
Queens Hospital Center Jamaica, NY $210.66 $1.00 – $328.43
Elmhurst Hospital Center NY 11373, NY $210.66 $1.00 – $328.43
Jacobi Medical Center Bronx, NY $210.66 $1.00 – $328.43
South Brooklyn Health Brooklyn, NY $210.66 $1.00 – $328.43
North Central Bronx Bronx, NY $210.66 $1.00 – $328.43
CHI Health Mercy Corning Corning, IA $216.48 $193.93 – $441.98
CHI Health Missouri Valley Missouri Valley, IA $220.99 $157.85 – $441.98
Jackson General Hospital Ripley, WV $221.00 not published
Ascension St. John Medical Center (St. John Medical Center, Inc.) Tulsa, OK $221.54 $28.93 – $677.36
Ascension St. John Owasso (Owasso Medical Facility, Inc.) Owasso, OK $221.54 $28.93 – $381.01
Ascension St. John Jane Phillips (Jane Phillips Memorial Medical Center, Inc.) Bartlesville, OK $221.54 $28.93 – $408.06
Ascension St. John Nowata (Jane Phillips Nowata Hospital, Inc.) Nowata, OK $221.54 $28.93 – $259.34
Ascension St. John Sapulpa (St. John Sapulpa, Inc.) Sapulpa, OK $221.54 $28.93 – $164.63
Ascension St. John Broken Arrow (St. John Broken Arrow, Inc.) Jenks, OK $221.54 $28.93 – $65.75
Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZ $221.61 $129.45 – $400.50
Bakersfield Memorial Hospital Bakersfield, CA $221.67 $54.64 – $936.54
Mercy Hospitals – Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA $224.09 $54.64 – $936.54
Henry Ford Rochester Hospital Rochester, MI $224.66 $57.46 – $331.40
ADVENTIST HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER TEHACHAPI Tehachapi, CA $225.99 $3.36 – $123.45
Community Medical Center Toms River, NJ $226.89 $45.92 – $387.15
Jersey City Medical Center Jersey City, NJ $227.33 $45.92 – $417.20
Defiance Hospital Defiance, OH $229.20 not published
WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital Gettysburg, PA $236.80 $28.13 – $1,006.60
WellSpan Surgery & Rehabilitation Hospital York PA 17403, PA $236.80 $28.13 – $1,006.60
UPMC Jameson New Castle, PA $237.00 $25.88 – $212.15
HANFORD COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Selma, CA $238.45 $26.56 – $354.18
REEDLEY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Reedley, CA $238.45 $0.85 – $372.23
ADVENTIST HEALTH TULARE Tulare, CA $238.45 $25.67 – $327.11

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