Barium swallow cost in California

In California, 211 hospitals publish a cash price for barium swallow (esophagus X-ray with contrast): from $94.00 to $5,446.80, with a median of $605.53. The lowest price is at County of Monterey (Salinas). The highest price is 57.9× the lowest.

• The median here, $605.53, is 35% above the US median of $447.60.
• That is 3.4× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($179.20).
• California ranks 40th of 50 states by median, cheapest first.
• 60 of 211 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.

California law (Health and Safety Code §127405): if you are uninsured or have high medical costs and your family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, a hospital may not expect you to pay more than it would expect from Medicare or Medi-Cal, whichever is greater. That can be less than the cash prices below; ask the hospital for its discount payment policy. A separate physician fee may still apply. Other states' laws.

Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 74220. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Nov 8, 2026. See them on a map