Barium swallow cost in Denver, CO — inpatient
In Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, 7 hospitals list a cash price for barium swallow (esophagus X-ray with contrast) as an inpatient: from $134.04 to $527.80, with a median of $301.22. The lowest listed price is at Denver Health and Hospital Authority — $167.18 less than the median here. Across Colorado, the median is $290.17 at 13 hospitals.
Cash prices at 7 facilities across 5 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 30, 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Health and Hospital Authority lowest Denver, CO · (303) 436-4927 HC ESOPHOGOGRAM | $134.04 | $382.97 | $131.36 | 65% | Apr 30, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital Colorado Aurora, CO · (720) 777-1234 HB=XR ESOPHAGRAM | $265.85 | $409.00 | $61.35–$376.28 | 35% | Apr 17, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Porter Denver, CO · (303) 778-1955 HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM ESOPHAGUS SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $301.22 | $301.22 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Parker Parker, CO · (303) 269-4000 HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM ESOPHAGUS SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $301.22 | $301.22 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Littleton Littleton, CO · (303) 730-8900 HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM ESOPHAGUS SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $301.22 | $301.22 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Castle Rock Castle Rock, CO · (720) 455-5000 HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM ESOPHAGUS SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $301.22 | $301.22 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| National Jewish Health Denver, CO · (303) 388-4461 HC DI ESOPHAGRAM | $527.80 | $754.00 | $185.03–$640.90 | 30% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $134.04, median $301.22, highest $527.80 — a 3.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 7 facilities here, median $301.22 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 3 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it 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.