Prices at 3 hospitals in Lake Charles, LA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $132 — 52% below the US median ($276), roughly 1.6× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles Memorial Hospital | Lake Charles, LA | $132 | $68 | ★ 3/5 | 210 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 $132 — about 1.6× the Medicare rate ($85). Reasonable. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($170).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $220 list price could save about $88 (40%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
All Swallow study prices in Louisiana → · All Swallow study prices (national) · All hospitals in Lake Charles