Barium swallow cost in Richmond, VA — inpatient
In Richmond, VA, 5 hospitals list a cash price for barium swallow (esophagus X-ray with contrast) as an inpatient: from $970.20 to $1,113.00, with a median of $1,113.00. The lowest listed price is at Bon Secours Mercy Health Petersburg LLC — $142.80 less than the median here. Across Virginia, the median is $451.50 at 35 hospitals.
Cash prices at 5 facilities across 4 cities for code 74220, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Richmond, VA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bon Secours Mercy Health Petersburg LLC lowest Petersburg, VA HC Fluro Esophagram | $970.20 | $3,234.00 | — | 70% | — source file |
| Bon Secours St Francis Medical Center LLC Midlothian, VA HC Fluro Esophagram | $1,113.00 | $1,855.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Bon Secours Richmond Community Hospital LLC Richmond, VA HC Fluro Esophagram | $1,113.00 | $1,855.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Bon Secours St Marys Hospital of Richmond LLC Richmond, VA HC Fluro Esophagram | $1,113.00 | $1,855.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center LLC Mechanicsville, VA HC Fluro Esophagram | $1,113.00 | $1,855.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $970.20, median $1,113.00, highest $1,113.00 — a 1.1× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 5 facilities here, median $1,231.80 — 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.