Thoracentesis cost in Albany, NY — inpatient
In Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, 3 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $278.00 to $278.00, with a median of $278.00. The lowest listed price is at Samaritan Hospital and 2 other hospitals. Across New York, the median is $737.31 at 64 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 3 cities for code 32555, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 31, 2026 and Mar 31, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samaritan Hospital lowest Troy, NY · (518) 427-3402 PR Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Cath Aspiration W Imaging Guidance | $278.00 | $278.00 | $8.69–$278.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Sunnyview Rehab Hospital lowest Schenectady, NY · (518) 382-4500 PR Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Cath Aspiration W Imaging Guidance | $278.00 | $278.00 | $8.69–$278.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| St Peters Hospital lowest Albany, NY · (518) 525-1550 PR Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Cath Aspiration W Imaging Guidance | $278.00 | $278.00 | $8.69–$278.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| St Peters Hospital one side Albany, NY · (518) 525-1550 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt | $1,496.95 | $2,303.00 | $141.13–$7,081.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| St Peters Hospital one side Albany, NY · (518) 525-1550 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Lt | $1,496.95 | $2,303.00 | $141.13–$7,081.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| St Peters Hospital Albany, NY · (518) 525-1550 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Bl | $2,243.80 | $3,452.00 | $141.13–$7,081.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Samaritan Hospital one side Troy, NY · (518) 427-3402 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Lt | $3,153.80 | $4,852.00 | $100.81–$7,081.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Sunnyview Rehab Hospital one side Schenectady, NY · (518) 382-4500 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt | $3,153.80 | $4,852.00 | $91.04–$4,852.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Samaritan Hospital one side Troy, NY · (518) 427-3402 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt | $3,153.80 | $4,852.00 | $100.81–$7,081.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Samaritan Hospital Troy, NY · (518) 427-3402 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Bl | $4,731.35 | $7,279.00 | $100.81–$7,279.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $278.00, median $278.00, highest $278.00.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $227.00 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 0 of 3 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it below every plan's rate. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
Thoracentesis removes fluid from around the lungs with a needle, using ultrasound to guide it.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the procedure and guidance. Lab tests on the fluid are billed separately.