Thoracentesis cost in Albuquerque, NM — inpatient
In Albuquerque, NM, 4 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $1,309.50 to $1,785.60, with a median of $1,768.95. The lowest listed price is at Lovelace UNM Rehabilition Hospital — $459.45 less than the median here. Across New Mexico, the median is $1,309.50 at 15 hospitals.
Cash prices at 4 facilities for code 32555, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 29, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Albuquerque, NM.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lovelace UNM Rehabilition Hospital lowest Albuquerque, NM HC Thoracentesis W/ Imaging | $1,309.50 | $4,365.00 | $455.09–$2,182.50 | 70% | — source file |
| Lovelace Medical Center Albuquerque, NM · (505) 727-8000 HC Thoracentesis W/ Imaging | $1,752.30 | $5,841.00 | $389.80–$4,380.75 | 70% | — source file |
| Lovelace Westside Hospital Albuquerque, NM · (505) 727-2001 HC Thoracentesis W/ Imaging | $1,785.60 | $5,952.00 | $389.80–$4,464.00 | 70% | — source file |
| Lovelace Womens Hospital Albuquerque, NM HC Thoracentesis W/ Imaging | $1,785.60 | $5,952.00 | $389.80–$4,464.00 | 70% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $1,309.50, median $1,768.95, highest $1,785.60 — a 1.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 5 facilities here, median $1,752.30 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 4 of 4 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.