Thoracentesis cost in Brownsville, TX
In Brownsville-Harlingen, TX, 1 hospital lists a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance: from $627.00 to $627.00, with a median of $627.00. Across Texas, the median is $1,423.68 at 189 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 32555, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Sep 1, 2026 and Sep 1, 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 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlingen Medical Center lowest Harlingen, TX · (956) 365-1000 ASPIRATE PLEUA W/IMAGING | $627.00 | $2,760.20 | $93.75–$2,548.24 | 77% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Harlingen Medical Center lowest Harlingen, TX · (956) 365-1000 CT THORACENTESIS TUBE INSERTION - 32555 - 407003048 | $627.00 | $1,860.03 | $93.75–$2,548.24 | 66% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Harlingen Medical Center lowest Harlingen, TX · (956) 365-1000 CT THORACENTESIS TUBE INSERTION - 32555 - 416703048 | $627.00 | $1,860.03 | $93.75–$2,548.24 | 66% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Harlingen Medical Center lowest Harlingen, TX · (956) 365-1000 THORACENTESIS W IMG GUIDE | $627.00 | $1,860.03 | $93.75–$2,548.24 | 66% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Harlingen Medical Center lowest Harlingen, TX · (956) 365-1000 THORA NEEDLE/CATH ASP IMAGING | $627.00 | $2,344.25 | $93.75–$2,548.24 | 73% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Harlingen Medical Center lowest Harlingen, TX · (956) 365-1000 Thoracent for aspiration w ima | $627.00 | $3,185.30 | $93.75–$2,548.24 | 80% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Harlingen Medical Center lowest Harlingen, TX · (956) 365-1000 THORACENTESIS W/CATH PLCMNT - 32555 - 91629 | $627.00 | $1,860.03 | $93.75–$2,548.24 | 66% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Harlingen Medical Center lowest Harlingen, TX · (956) 365-1000 US THORACENTESIS TUBE INSERTION - 32555 - 407005047 | $627.00 | $1,860.03 | $93.75–$2,548.24 | 66% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Harlingen Medical Center lowest Harlingen, TX · (956) 365-1000 US THORACENTESIS TUBE INSERTION - 32555 - 416705047 | $627.00 | $1,860.03 | $93.75–$2,548.24 | 66% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Harlingen Medical Center lowest Harlingen, TX · (956) 365-1000 XR THORACEN ASP INT/SUBSEQ | $627.00 | $1,860.03 | $93.75–$2,548.24 | 66% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $627.00, median $627.00, highest $627.00.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. 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.