Swallow study is a hospital service. Prices are from 2288 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $274 — about 3.2× the Medicare rate ($85). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($170).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $456 list price could save about $182 (40%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ochsner American Legion Hospital | Jennings, LA | $43 | $79 | ★ 2/5 | 104 min | 15.3% |
| Westfield Memorial Hospital, Inc | Westfield, NY | $44 | $72 | — | 114 min | 14.8% |
| Canonsburg General Hospital | Canonsburg, PA | $44 | $73 | ★ 3/5 | 155 min | 15.6% |
| Forbes Hospital | Monroeville, PA | $44 | $73 | ★ 3/5 | 252 min | 16.5% |
| Lakeland Regional Medical Center | Lakeland, FL | $44 | $1,150 | ★ 1/5 | 162 min | 16.7% |
| Grove City Medical Center | Grove City, PA | $46 | $72 | ★ 4/5 | 147 min | 14.1% |
| Clinch Memorial Hospital | Homerville, GA | $47 | $90 | — | 93 min | — |
| Allegheny Valley Hospital | Natrona, PA | $48 | $73 | ★ 4/5 | 201 min | 15.7% |
| Allegheny General Hospital | Pittsburgh, PA | $48 | $73 | ★ 3/5 | 274 min | 14.7% |
| Banner-University Medical Center South Campus | Tucson, AZ | $49 | $164 | ★ 4/5 | 275 min | 14.5% |
| Caldwell Memorial Hospital | Lenoir, NC | $49 | $69 | ★ 3/5 | 189 min | 14.3% |
| Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital | Murfreesboro, TN | $50 | $111 | ★ 3/5 | 174 min | 13.9% |
| Usa Health HCA Providence Hospital, Llc | Mobile, AL | $50 | $84 | ★ 3/5 | 200 min | 14.4% |
| Ascension Providence Hospital, Southfield and Novi | Southfield, MI | $50 | $84 | ★ 4/5 | 192 min | 14.2% |
| Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital | Rochester, MI | $50 | $84 | ★ 3/5 | 195 min | 15.2% |
| Ascension Providence | Waco, TX | $50 | $84 | ★ 2/5 | 216 min | 14.2% |
| Ahn Wexford Hospital | Wexford, PA | $52 | $76 | ★ 5/5 | 186 min | 15.3% |
| Ochsner Medical Center-Kenner | Kenner, LA | $52 | $115 | ★ 4/5 | 149 min | 15.3% |
| Crescent Medical Center Lancaster | Lancaster, TX | $53 | $41 | ★ 2/5 | 163 min | 14.9% |
| Mount Desert Island Hospital | Bar Harbor, ME | $53 | $113 | — | 130 min | 14.6% |
| West Penn Hospital | Pittsburgh, PA | $54 | $76 | ★ 3/5 | 203 min | 16.3% |
| Parkwest Medical Center | Knoxville, TN | $55 | $105 | ★ 3/5 | 259 min | 14.9% |
| Slidell Memorial Hospital | Slidell, LA | $55 | $79 | ★ 2/5 | 203 min | 16.0% |
| Riverview Regional Medical Center | Gadsden, AL | $55 | $56 | ★ 3/5 | 160 min | 15.7% |
| Baptist Health Medical Center-Arkadelphia | Arkadelphia, AR | $55 | $134 | — | 95 min | 15.2% |
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 July 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.
What insurers pay for Swallow study
Median in-network negotiated rate by insurer, across hospitals that publish it (cheapest first). Your actual rate depends on your specific plan and deductible. Cash / self-pay for comparison: $274; Medicare pays $85.
| Insurer | Hospitals | Negotiated median |
|---|---|---|
| Geisinger | 60 |
$51 – $352 |
| AmeriHealth | 240 |
$37 – $317 |
| Univera | 14 |
$58 – $101 |
| Tricare / VA | 402 |
$62 – $196 |
| Medicaid | 306 |
$38 – $317 |
| Medicare | 523 |
$62 – $236 |
| Highmark | 113 |
$57 – $377 |
| Devoted Health | 205 |
$60 – $171 |
| Centene / Ambetter | 708 |
$49 – $205 |
| Amerigroup | 154 |
$57 – $273 |
| Independent Health | 45 |
$65 – $184 |
| Molina Healthcare | 527 |
$51 – $243 |
| Humana | 952 |
$63 – $433 |
| Bright Health | 47 |
$87 – $481 |
| Priority Health | 57 |
$56 – $377 |
| MVP Health Care | 80 |
$67 – $361 |
| UCare | 62 |
$68 – $384 |
| UPMC Health Plan | 78 |
$58 – $404 |
| Oscar Health | 213 |
$81 – $384 |
| Anthem | 510 |
$64 – $474 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 1409 |
$62 – $445 |
| SelectHealth | 42 |
$81 – $437 |
| Kaiser Permanente | 161 |
$64 – $576 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 1213 |
$71 – $534 |
| Aetna | 1299 |
$68 – $553 |
| AvMed | 61 |
$92 – $578 |
| Healthcare Highways | 36 |
$129 – $434 |
| Health Net | 268 |
$62 – $811 |
| Medica | 236 |
$88 – $414 |
| EmblemHealth | 56 |
$83 – $18,105 |
| Security Health Plan | 59 |
$81 – $449 |
| Harvard Pilgrim | 46 |
$115 – $420 |
| Workers' Comp / No-Fault | 134 |
$110 – $658 |
| HealthPartners | 258 |
$59 – $579 |
| Sanford Health Plan | 65 |
$82 – $405 |
| Cigna | 1067 |
$83 – $605 |
| Coventry | 146 |
$80 – $613 |
| MultiPlan / PHCS network | 840 |
$180 – $821 |
Negotiated rates are from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); payer names are normalized to major brands, so a brand may span several plans. Estimates — confirm with your insurer.
Where it’s cheapest
| State | Median cash |
|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $112 |
| Alabama | $115 |
| Tennessee | $128 |
| Puerto Rico | $129 |
| Mississippi | $142 |
| Arkansas | $153 |
Prices by city
Prices by state
Doctors who perform this
Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.
| Clinician | Specialty | Location | Medicare services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steven Asofsky, M.A. | Speech Language Pathologist | Babylon, NY | 308 |
| Stamatela Balou, PHD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S | Speech Language Pathologist | New York, NY | 303 |
| William Murdock, MS | Speech Language Pathologist | Jacksonville, FL | 253 |
| Jessica Gregor, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S | Speech Language Pathologist | Scottsdale, AZ | 252 |
| Karen Mcnett, SLP | Speech Language Pathologist | Scottsdale, AZ | 250 |
| John Dubois, CCC-SLP | Speech Language Pathologist | Dearborn, MI | 226 |
| Sheena Rismany, CCC-SLP | Speech Language Pathologist | Great Neck, NY | 213 |
| Lyndsay Barrera, MS, CCC-SLP | Speech Language Pathologist | Jacksonville, FL | 209 |
| Julia Meverden, MS CCC-SLP | Speech Language Pathologist | Rochester, MN | 199 |
| Anne Kulinski, CCC-SLP | Speech Language Pathologist | Rochester, MN | 194 |
| Mallory Riggs | Speech Language Pathologist | Rochester, MN | 190 |
| Kate Donovan, CCC-SLP | Speech Language Pathologist | Kew Gardens, NY | 179 |
Does Medicare cover Swallow study?
Yes — Medicare generally covers Swallow study. It is typically an outpatient service under Medicare Part B, with a Medicare-approved amount of about $85. After your annual Part B deductible, you typically owe the 20% coinsurance — roughly $17 — unless a Medicare Advantage or supplemental (Medigap) plan covers it.
General guidance from Medicare’s national rates — your actual coverage and share depend on medical necessity, your plan, and where the service is performed. Confirm with Medicare or your plan.
About these prices
Based on prices published by 2288 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $274, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $456, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $189, a Medicare rate of about $85. Most cash prices fall between $98 and $740 — a wide spread, which is exactly why comparing hospitals pays off.
How to save
- Ask each hospital for its cash / self-pay price — for shoppable services it is often far below the list price.
- Compare several nearby hospitals; prices for the same service can differ severalfold.
- Request a written estimate and the billing code (CPT/DRG) before scheduling.
- Use the Medicare benchmark above to judge whether a quote is reasonable.
- If you are uninsured, ask about financial assistance or prompt-pay discounts.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Swallow study cost without insurance?
Does Medicare cover Swallow study?
What does Medicare pay for Swallow study?
Why do Swallow study prices vary between hospitals?
Is the cash price lower than using insurance?
Related Other Procedures
See more Other Procedures.