Prices at 6 hospitals in Charlotte, NC, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $419 — 26% below the US median ($565), roughly 3.3× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center | Charlotte, NC | $292 | $173 | ★ 5/5 | 157 min | 13.3% |
| Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center | Charlotte, NC | $325 | $255 | ★ 5/5 | 178 min | 13.2% |
| Novant Health Ballantyne Medical Center | Charlotte, NC | $325 | $175 | — | 193 min | 14.5% |
| Atrium Health Pineville | Charlotte, NC | $513 | $264 | ★ 3/5 | 170 min | 15.5% |
| Carolinas Medical Center/behav Health | Charlotte, NC | $513 | $325 | ★ 4/5 | 198 min | 14.8% |
| Atrium Health University City | Charlotte, NC | $513 | $243 | ★ 3/5 | 144 min | 14.9% |
CMS rating = overall hospital star rating (1–5); ER wait = median minutes in the emergency department; Readmit = 30-day readmission rate (lower is better) — all from Medicare’s Care Compare; “—” = not reported. Data last updated June 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $419 — about 3.3× the Medicare rate ($128). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($257).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $837 list price could save about $419 (50%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
All Upper GI series (barium) prices in North Carolina → · All Upper GI series (barium) prices (national) · All hospitals in Charlotte