Swallow study cost in Harrisburg, PA — inpatient
In Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, 5 hospitals list a cash price for swallow study (modified barium swallow, video X-ray) as an inpatient: from $212.62 to $427.80, with a median of $294.86. The lowest listed price is at Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center — $82.24 less than the median here. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $563.65 at 64 hospitals.
Cash prices at 5 facilities across 5 cities for code 74230, 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center lowest Camp Hill, PA · (717) 763-2100 74230 X-RAY XM SWLNG FUNCJ C+ Tech | $212.62 | $890.00 | $32.20–$740.75 | 76% | — source file |
| Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center Enola, PA · (717) 981-9000 74230 X-RAY XM SWLNG FUNCJ C+ Tech | $280.08 | $890.00 | $145.72–$732.69 | 69% | — source file |
| Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Hershey, PA · (717) 531-8521 XR Swallowing Function w/ Speech - Report | $294.86 | $890.00 | $158.13–$1,000.41 | 67% | — source file |
| UPMC Pinnacle Hospitals Harrisburg, PA · (717) 782-3131 HC SWALLOW FUNC W/VIDEO INCL SCOUT/DELAY WHEN PERF | $427.80 | $713.00 | $463.45–$606.05 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Carlisle Carlisle, PA · (717) 249-1212 HC SWALLOW FUNC W/VIDEO INCL SCOUT/DELAY WHEN PERF | $427.80 | $713.00 | $290.90–$606.05 | 40% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $212.62, median $294.86, highest $427.80 — a 2.0× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 5 facilities here, median $294.86 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 of 5 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 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 swallow study films the mouth and throat on X-ray while you swallow foods and liquids with barium. It shows whether food goes into the airway and is often done with a speech therapist after a stroke.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the X-ray part. The speech therapist's evaluation is billed separately.