Swallow study cost in Madison, WI — inpatient
In Madison, WI, 2 hospitals list a cash price for swallow study (modified barium swallow, video X-ray) as an inpatient: from $126.10 to $1,079.10, with a median of $602.60. The lowest listed price is at Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital — $476.50 less than the median here. Across Wisconsin, the median is $349.16 at 63 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 74230, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Apr 1, 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 Madison, WI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital lowest Portage, WI · (608) 742-4131 Pro Radiologic Exam Swallow Function Contrast Study | $126.10 | $194.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital Portage, WI · (608) 742-4131 Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study | $950.30 | $1,462.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital Portage, WI · (608) 742-4131 RADIOLOGIC EXAM SWALLOW FUNCTION CONTRAST STUDY | $1,076.40 | $1,656.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Meriter Madison, WI · (608) 417-6210 HC SWALLOWING FUNCTION W CINE VIDEO | $1,079.10 | $1,348.87 | $310.24–$1,281.43 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $126.10, median $602.60, highest $1,079.10 — a 8.6× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $602.60 — 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 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.