Swallow study cost in Milwaukee, WI — inpatient
In Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, 13 hospitals list a cash price for swallow study (modified barium swallow, video X-ray) as an inpatient: from $166.42 to $493.90, with a median of $437.50. The lowest listed price is at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - Southeast Wisconsin and 3 other hospitals — $271.08 less than the median here. Across Wisconsin, the median is $349.16 at 63 hospitals.
Cash prices at 13 facilities across 8 cities for code 74230, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Nov 21, 2025 and Mar 23, 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - Southeast Wisconsin lowest Franklin, WI HC SWALLOWING FUNCTION CINE/VIDEO CONTRAST STUDY | $166.42 | $314.00 | $91.22–$244.92 | 47% | — source file |
| Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital lowest Franklin, WI HC SWALLOWING FUNCTION CINE/VIDEO CONTRAST STUDY | $166.42 | $314.00 | $91.22–$244.92 | 47% | — source file |
| Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital lowest Milwaukee, WI · (414) 447-2130 HC SWALLOWING FUNCTION CINE/VIDEO CONTRAST STUDY | $166.42 | $314.00 | $91.22–$244.92 | 47% | — source file |
| Ascension St. Francis Hospital lowest Milwaukee, WI · (414) 647-5000 HC SWALLOWING FUNCTION CINE/VIDEO CONTRAST STUDY | $166.42 | $314.00 | $91.22–$244.92 | 47% | — source file |
| Aurora Sinai Medical Center of Aurora Health Care Metro Milwaukee, WI XR SWALLOWING FUNCTION W/VIDEO | $437.50 | $875.00 | $525.00–$743.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora St Lukes Medical Center of Aurora Health Care Metro Milwaukee, WI · (414) 649-6000 XR SWALLOWING FUNCTION W/VIDEO | $437.50 | $875.00 | $525.00–$743.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora St Lukes South Shore of Aurora Health Care Metro Cudahy, WI XR SWALLOWING FUNCTION W/VIDEO | $437.50 | $875.00 | $525.00–$743.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora West Allis Medical Center West Allis, WI · (414) 328-6000 XR SWALLOWING FUNCTION W/VIDEO | $437.50 | $875.00 | $525.00–$30,021.86 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Medical Center Grafton Grafton, WI · (262) 329-1000 XR SWALLOWING FUNCTION W/VIDEO | $437.50 | $875.00 | $525.00–$743.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Medical Center Washington County Hartford, WI · (262) 673-2300 XR SWALLOWING FUNCTION W/VIDEO | $437.50 | $875.00 | $525.00–$743.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Medical Center Kenosha Kenosha, WI · (262) 948-5600 XR SWALLOWING FUNCTION W/VIDEO | $437.50 | $875.00 | $525.00–$743.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Medical Center Summit Summit, WI · (262) 434-1600 XR SWALLOWING FUNCTION W/VIDEO | $437.50 | $875.00 | $525.00–$743.75 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC SWALLOWING FUNCTION VIDEO CONTRAST STUDY | $493.90 | $898.00 | $628.60–$853.10 | 45% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC SWALLOWING FUNCTION VIDEO CONTRAST STUDY | $493.90 | $898.00 | $628.60–$853.10 | 45% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $166.42, median $437.50, highest $493.90 — a 3.0× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 15 facilities here, median $437.50 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 13 of 13 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 9 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.