Barium swallow cost in Columbia, SC — inpatient
In Columbia, SC, 3 hospitals list a cash price for barium swallow (esophagus X-ray with contrast) as an inpatient: from $325.50 to $408.50, with a median of $325.50. The lowest listed price is at MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast and 1 other hospital. Across South Carolina, the median is $452.50 at 19 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 2 cities for code 74220, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 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 Columbia, SC.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast lowest Columbia, SC HB XRAY ESOPHAGUS | $325.50 | $651.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown lowest Columbia, SC · (803) 256-5300 HB XRAY ESOPHAGUS | $325.50 | $651.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kershaw Medical Center Camden, SC · (803) 432-4311 HB XRAY ESOPHAGUS | $408.50 | $817.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $325.50, median $325.50, highest $408.50 — a 1.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $325.50 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
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.