Barium swallow cost in New York

In New York, 104 hospitals publish a cash price for barium swallow (esophagus X-ray with contrast): from $50.00 to $3,396.00, with a median of $342.50. The lowest price is at St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center (Smithtown). The highest price is 67.9× the lowest.

• The median here, $342.50, is 23% below the US median of $447.60.
• That is 1.9× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($179.20).
• New York ranks 11th of 50 states by median, cheapest first.
• 29 of 104 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.

New York law (Public Health Law §2807-k(9-a), as amended in October 2024): uninsured patients with income below 200% of the federal poverty level owe nothing for emergency and medically necessary hospital care; up to 400% they pay on a sliding scale of at most 10% or 20% of what Medicaid would pay. Emergency care is covered for New York residents, other care for people living in the hospital's service area; immigration status does not count. Ask for the Uniform Hospital Financial Assistance form. 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 11, 2026. See them on a map