Barium swallow cost in Chicago, IL — inpatient
In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 30 hospitals list a cash price for barium swallow (esophagus X-ray with contrast) as an inpatient: from $175.00 to $1,929.00, with a median of $415.00. The lowest listed price is at Uchicago Medicine AdventHealth Bolingbrook and 3 other hospitals — $240.00 less than the median here. Across Illinois, the median is $429.26 at 64 hospitals.
Cash prices at 30 facilities across 22 cities for code 74220, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 17, 2025 and Apr 1, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uchicago Medicine AdventHealth Bolingbrook lowest Bolingbrook, IL · (630) 312-5000 HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM ESOPHAGUS SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $175.00 | $700.00 | — | 75% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Uchicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale lowest Hinsdale, IL · (630) 856-9000 HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM ESOPHAGUS SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $175.00 | $700.00 | — | 75% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Uchicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale lowest Hinsdale, IL · (630) 856-9000 HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM ESOPHAGUS SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $175.00 | $700.00 | — | 75% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Uchicago Medicine AdventHealth Glenoaks lowest Glendale Heights, IL · (630) 545-8000 HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM ESOPHAGUS SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $175.00 | $700.00 | — | 75% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Uchicago Medicine AdventHealth Bolingbrook lowest Bolingbrook, IL · (630) 312-5000 HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM ESOPHAGUS SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $175.00 | $700.00 | — | 75% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Uchicago Medicine AdventHealth La Grange lowest La Grange, IL · (708) 352-1200 HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM ESOPHAGUS SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $175.00 | $700.00 | — | 75% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Uchicago Medicine AdventHealth La Grange lowest La Grange, IL · (708) 352-1200 HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM ESOPHAGUS SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $175.00 | $700.00 | — | 75% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Uchicago Medicine AdventHealth Glenoaks lowest Glendale Heights, IL · (630) 545-8000 HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM ESOPHAGUS SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $175.00 | $700.00 | — | 75% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Louis A Weiss Memorial Hospital Chicago, IL · (773) 878-8700 XR Esophagus BCE | $388.93 | $1,143.92 | $743.55 | 66% | Mar 17, 2025 source file |
| Louis A Weiss Memorial Hospital Chicago, IL · (773) 878-8700 XR Esophagus | $388.93 | $1,143.92 | $743.55 | 66% | Mar 17, 2025 source file |
| Resilience Healthcare West Suburban Medical Center Oak Park, IL · (708) 383-6200 XR Esophagus | $403.18 | $1,185.82 | $770.78 | 66% | Mar 17, 2025 source file |
| Resilience Healthcare West Suburban Medical Center Oak Park, IL · (708) 383-6200 XR Esophagus BCE | $403.18 | $1,185.82 | $770.78 | 66% | Mar 17, 2025 source file |
| Advocate Condell Medical Center Libertyville, IL · (847) 362-2900 XR ESOPHAGRAM | $415.00 | $830.00 | $362.71–$664.00 | 50% | Nov 4, 2025 source file |
| Advocate Christ Medical Center Oak Lawn, IL · (708) 684-8000 XR ESOPHAGRAM | $415.00 | $830.00 | $362.71–$664.00 | 50% | Nov 4, 2025 source file |
| Advocate Childrens Hospital Park Ridge Park Ridge, IL XR ESOPHAGRAM | $415.00 | $830.00 | $362.71–$664.00 | 50% | Nov 4, 2025 source file |
| Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Barrington, IL · (847) 381-9600 XR ESOPHAGRAM | $415.00 | $830.00 | $362.71–$664.00 | 50% | Nov 4, 2025 source file |
| Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Downers Grove, IL · (630) 275-5900 XR ESOPHAGRAM | $415.00 | $830.00 | $362.71–$664.00 | 50% | Nov 4, 2025 source file |
| Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center Chicago, IL · (773) 975-1600 XR ESOPHAGRAM | $415.00 | $830.00 | $362.71–$664.00 | 50% | Nov 4, 2025 source file |
| Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Park Ridge, IL · (847) 723-2210 XR ESOPHAGRAM | $415.00 | $830.00 | $362.71–$664.00 | 50% | Nov 4, 2025 source file |
| Advocate Sherman Hospital Elgin, IL · (847) 742-9800 XR ESOPHAGRAM | $415.00 | $830.00 | $362.71–$747.00 | 50% | Nov 4, 2025 source file |
| Advocate South Suburban Hospital Hazel Crest, IL XR ESOPHAGRAM | $415.00 | $830.00 | $362.71–$664.00 | 50% | Nov 4, 2025 source file |
| Advocate Trinity Hospital Chicago, IL · (773) 967-5002 XR ESOPHAGRAM | $415.00 | $830.00 | $362.71–$664.00 | 50% | Nov 4, 2025 source file |
| Advocate Childrens Hospital Oak Lawn Oak Lawn, IL XR ESOPHAGRAM | $415.00 | $830.00 | $362.71–$664.00 | 50% | Nov 4, 2025 source file |
| NorthShore University HealthSystems Evanston Hospital Evanson, IL · (847) 570-2000 Esophagus X-Ray | $570.70 | $878.00 | $143.11–$469.73 | 35% | — source file |
| NorthShore University HealthSystems Skokie Hospital Skokie, IL Esophagus X-Ray | $570.70 | $878.00 | $143.11–$469.73 | 35% | — source file |
| NorthShore University HealthSystems Glenbrook Hospital Glenview, IL Esophagus X-Ray | $570.70 | $878.00 | $143.11–$469.73 | 35% | — source file |
| NorthShore University HealthSystems Highland Park Hospital Highland Park, IL Esophagus X-Ray | $570.70 | $878.00 | $143.11–$469.73 | 35% | — source file |
| Northwest Community Hospital Arlington Heights, IL · (847) 618-1000 Hb Contrast X-Ray Esophagus | $838.00 | $838.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Chicago, IL · (312) 227-4000 H XR ESOPHAGUS | $861.70 | $1,231.00 | $455.47–$3,678.00 | 30% | — source file |
| Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Chicago, IL · (312) 227-4000 H IR 74220 RAD EXAM ESOPHAGUS | $861.70 | $1,231.00 | $455.47–$3,678.00 | 30% | — source file |
| Ingalls Memorial Hospital Harvey, IL · (708) 333-2300 Hc Radiologic Exam; Esophagus | $873.00 | $873.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Endeavor Health Clinical Operations Evanston, IL HB ESOPHAGUS X-RAY | $988.00 | $988.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Endeavor Health Clinical Operations Highland Park, IL HB ESOPHAGUS X-RAY | $988.00 | $988.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Swedish Covenant Health Chicago, IL · (773) 878-8200 HB ESOPHAGUS X-RAY | $988.00 | $988.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The University of Chicago Medical Center Chicago, IL · (773) 702-9785 Hc Radiologic Exam; Esophagus | $1,170.00 | $1,170.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Edward Hospital Naperville, IL · (630) 527-3000 HC RAD ESOPHAGUS SNGL CONTRAST | $1,929.00 | $1,929.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Elmhurst, IL · (331) 221-1000 HC RAD ESOPHAGUS SNGL CONTRAST | $1,929.00 | $1,929.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $175.00, median $415.00, highest $1,929.00 — a 11.0× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 49 facilities here, median $415.00 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 14 of 18 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 2 it is below every plan's rate. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
A barium swallow is a live X-ray of the esophagus while you drink barium. It shows narrowing, hernias and problems with how food passes.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the study and the barium. The radiologist's reading may be billed separately.