Prices at 12 hospitals in Montana, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $307 — 30% below the US median ($441), roughly 2.9× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Peters Health | Helena, MT | $71 | $66 | ★ 3/5 | 179 min | — |
| Sidney Health Center | Sidney, MT | $111 | $172 | ★ 3/5 | 152 min | — |
| Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital | Bozeman, MT | $242 | $187 | ★ 4/5 | 142 min | — |
| Billings Clinic | Billings, MT | $299 | — | ★ 4/5 | 176 min | — |
| Billings Clinic Broadwater | Townsend, MT | $299 | — | — | 76 min | — |
| St Luke Community Hospital | Ronan, MT | $315 | $95 | — | 109 min | — |
| Poplar Community Hospital | Poplar, MT | $336 | $425 | — | 89 min | — |
| Clark Fork Valley Hospital | Plains, MT | $349 | $280 | — | 148 min | — |
| Community Medical Center | Missoula, MT | $518 | $35 | ★ 3/5 | 138 min | — |
| Great Falls Clinic Hospital | Great Falls, MT | $600 | $259 | ★ 2/5 | 140 min | — |
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 October 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 $307 — about 2.9× the Medicare rate ($107). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($214).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $326 list price could save about $19 (6%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Barium swallow study cost in other states
All Barium swallow study prices (national) → · All hospitals in Montana →