Barium swallow cost in Sioux City, IA — inpatient
In Sioux City, IA-NE-SD, 1 hospital lists a cash price for barium swallow (esophagus X-ray with contrast) as an inpatient: from $190.40 to $190.40, with a median of $190.40. Across Iowa, the median is $221.58 at 32 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 74220, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Jan 28, 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 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center lowest Sioux City, IA · (712) 279-3500 CHG RADIOLOGIC EXAM ESOPHAGUS SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $190.40 | $238.00 | $61.88–$266.73 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center Sioux City, IA · (712) 279-3500 HC ESOPHAGRAM SGL CONTRAST STUDY | $403.15 | $503.93 | $316.97 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $190.40, median $190.40, highest $190.40.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $190.40 — 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. 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.