Upper GI series cost in Denver, CO — inpatient
In Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, 7 hospitals list a cash price for upper GI series (X-ray of esophagus, stomach and duodenum with contrast) as an inpatient: from $222.48 to $592.20, with a median of $301.22. The lowest listed price is at Denver Health and Hospital Authority — $78.74 less than the median here. Across Colorado, the median is $301.22 at 13 hospitals.
Cash prices at 7 facilities across 5 cities for code 74240, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 30, 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Health and Hospital Authority lowest Denver, CO HC RADEX GI TRACT UPPER W/WO DELAYED IMAGES W/O KUB | $222.48 | $635.64 | $218.02 | 65% | Apr 30, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Littleton Littleton, CO HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM UPR GI TRC SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $301.22 | $301.22 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Porter Denver, CO HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM UPR GI TRC SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $301.22 | $301.22 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Parker Parker, CO HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM UPR GI TRC SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $301.22 | $301.22 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Castle Rock Castle Rock, CO HC RADIOLOGIC EXAM UPR GI TRC SINGLE CONTRAST STUDY | $301.22 | $301.22 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital Colorado Aurora, CO HB=XR UPPER GI SERIES WO KUB | $404.30 | $622.00 | $93.30–$572.24 | 35% | Apr 17, 2026 source file |
| National Jewish Health Denver, CO HC DI X-RAY UPPER GI DELAY W/KUB | $592.20 | $846.00 | $185.03–$719.10 | 30% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $222.48, median $301.22, highest $592.20 — a 2.7× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 7 facilities here, median $301.22 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 3 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
An upper GI series is an X-ray of the esophagus, stomach and first part of the small intestine after drinking barium.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the study and the barium. The radiologist's reading may be billed separately.