Swallow study cost in Washington, DC — inpatient
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, 6 hospitals list a cash price for swallow study (modified barium swallow, video X-ray) as an inpatient: from $486.00 to $546.50, with a median of $546.50. The lowest listed price is at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center — $60.50 less than the median here.
Cash prices at 6 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 Apr 1, 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center lowest Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Chgr-Barium Swallow Video | $486.00 | $972.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Inova Fairfax Hospital Falls Church, VA · (703) 698-1110 HC XR SWALLOW CINE/VIDEO CONTRAST STUDY | $546.50 | $1,093.00 | $167.33–$852.54 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Loudoun Hospital Leesburg, VA · (703) 858-6600 HC XR SWALLOW CINE/VIDEO CONTRAST STUDY | $546.50 | $1,093.00 | $167.33–$852.54 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 664-7105 HC XR SWALLOW CINE/VIDEO CONTRAST STUDY | $546.50 | $1,093.00 | $167.33–$852.54 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Fairfax, VA · (703) 391-4170 HC XR SWALLOW CINE/VIDEO CONTRAST STUDY | $546.50 | $1,093.00 | $167.33–$852.54 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Alexandria Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 504-3167 HC XR SWALLOW CINE/VIDEO CONTRAST STUDY | $546.50 | $1,093.00 | $167.33–$852.54 | 50% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $486.00, median $546.50, highest $546.50 — a 1.1× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 7 facilities here, median $546.50 — 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 none is it 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.