Barium swallow cost in San Antonio, TX — inpatient
In San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX, 1 hospital lists a cash price for barium swallow (esophagus X-ray with contrast) as an inpatient: from $184.25 to $184.25, with a median of $184.25. Across Texas, the median is $485.96 at 96 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 74220, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 24, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Oct 14, 2025 and Oct 14, 2025.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bexar County Hospital District San Antonio, TX HC ESOPHAGRAM - FL ESOPHAGUS BARIUM SWALLOW | $184.25 | $737.00 | $272.69–$626.45 | 75% | Oct 14, 2025 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $184.25, median $184.25, highest $184.25.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $395.89 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated and 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.