Barium swallow cost in Minneapolis, MN — inpatient
In Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, 21 hospitals list a cash price for barium swallow (esophagus X-ray with contrast) as an inpatient: from $103.22 to $609.00, with a median of $292.30. The lowest listed price is at Methodist Hospital — $189.08 less than the median here. Across Minnesota, the median is $291.97 at 34 hospitals.
Cash prices at 21 facilities across 18 cities for code 74220, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 29, 2026 and Jun 17, 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 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Methodist Hospital lowest St. Louis Park, MN X-ray; esophagus with contrast | $103.22 | $397.00 | $96.07–$367.00 | 74% | — source file |
| Regions Hospital St. Paul, MN · (651) 254-1616 X-ray; esophagus with contrast | $177.84 | $684.00 | $68.79–$547.20 | 74% | — source file |
| Allina Health Systems Coon Rapids, MN HCHG RAD XRAY ESOPHAGUS | $207.79 | $432.90 | $289.70–$363.64 | 52% | Jun 17, 2026 source file |
| Abbott Northwestern Hospital Minneapolis, MN · (612) 863-4000 HCHG RAD XRAY ESOPHAGUS | $207.79 | $432.90 | $289.70–$363.64 | 52% | Jun 16, 2026 source file |
| Buffalo Hospital Buffalo, MN · (763) 682-1212 HCHG RAD XRAY ESOPHAGUS | $208.99 | $373.20 | $165.81–$373.20 | 44% | Jun 16, 2026 source file |
| Allina Health Systems River Falls, WI HCHG RAD XRAY ESOPHAGUS | $208.99 | $373.20 | $228.66–$373.20 | 44% | Jun 15, 2026 source file |
| Cambridge Medical Center Cambridge, MN · (763) 689-7700 HCHG RAD XRAY ESOPHAGUS | $208.99 | $373.20 | $165.81–$373.20 | 44% | Jun 16, 2026 source file |
| North Memorial Health Care Robbinsdale, MN · (763) 520-5200 X-ray of esophagus | $259.81 | $493.00 | $134.49–$892.00 | 47% | — source file |
| Maple Grove Hospital Maple Grove, MN · (763) 581-1000 X-ray of esophagus | $259.81 | $493.00 | $123.55–$892.00 | 47% | — source file |
| Lakeview Hospital Stillwater, MN · (651) 430-4509 X-ray; esophagus with contrast | $288.60 | $780.00 | $107.39–$702.00 | 63% | — source file |
| M Health Fairview University of Mn Medical Center Minneapolis, MN · (612) 624-1765 HC ESOPHAGRAM | $292.30 | $728.91 | $379.76–$656.02 | 60% | Feb 6, 2026 source file |
| Fairview Bethesda Hospital St. Paul, MN HC ESOPHAGRAM | $292.30 | $728.91 | $194.91–$656.02 | 60% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| HealthEast Woodwinds Hospital Woodbury, MN · (651) 232-2185 HC ESOPHAGRAM | $292.33 | $729.00 | $379.81–$656.10 | 60% | Feb 5, 2026 source file |
| Fairview Lakes Health Services Wyoming, MN · (952) 892-2101 HC ESOPHAGRAM | $292.33 | $729.00 | $379.81–$656.10 | 60% | Feb 5, 2026 source file |
| Fairview Northland Regional Hospital Princeton, MN · (952) 892-2101 HC ESOPHAGRAM | $292.33 | $729.00 | $379.81–$656.10 | 60% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital Edina, MN · (952) 924-5000 HC ESOPHAGRAM | $292.33 | $729.00 | $379.81–$656.10 | 60% | Feb 6, 2026 source file |
| HealthEast St John's Hospital Maplewood, MN · (651) 232-7000 HC ESOPHAGRAM | $292.33 | $729.00 | $379.81–$656.10 | 60% | Feb 5, 2026 source file |
| Westfields Hospital New Richmond, WI · (715) 246-2101 X-ray; esophagus with contrast | $304.55 | $579.00 | $229.98–$579.00 | 47% | — source file |
| M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital Burnsville, MN · (952) 892-2000 HC ESOPHAGRAM | $309.83 | $729.00 | $379.81–$656.10 | 57% | Feb 6, 2026 source file |
| Hudson Hospital Hudson, WI · (715) 531-6000 X-ray; esophagus with contrast | $319.83 | $709.00 | $150.45–$709.00 | 55% | — source file |
| Childrens Health Care Minneapolis, MN · (612) 813-6112 FL ESOPHAGRAM | $609.00 | $609.00 | $205.84–$548.10 | — | May 7, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Health Care Minneapolis, MN · (612) 813-6112 FL ESOPHAGRAM PORT | $773.00 | $773.00 | $261.27–$695.70 | — | May 7, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $103.22, median $292.30, highest $609.00 — a 5.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 21 facilities here, median $288.60 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 20 of 21 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 10 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.