Surgery and procedures CPT 32555 Inpatient — admitted to hospital

Thoracentesis cost in Clinton, IA — inpatient

In Clinton, IA, 2 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $221.40 to $227.00, with a median of $224.20. The lowest listed price is at MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center — $2.80 less than the median here. Across Iowa, the median is $766.40 at 31 hospitals.

Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 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.

Lowest$221.40MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center
Median$224.20half pay less
Highest$227.00in this market
Difference1.0×highest vs lowest

Where each hospital's price falls

Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Clinton, IA.

median
Lowest $221.40Highest $1,898.00
one sideboth sides

Hospitals, cheapest first

HospitalCash price List priceInsurers payOff listFile date
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center lowest Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 Aspirate Pleura W/ Imaging 32555 $221.40 $369.00 $928.00–$2,679.00 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Clinton Medical Center Clinton, IA · (563) 244-5555 PR Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Cath Aspiration W Imaging Guidance $227.00 $227.00 $8.69–$454.00 — Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center one side Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 THORACENTESIS LEFT $739.20 $1,232.00 $418.88–$899.36 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center one side Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 US Thoracentesis Left $739.20 $1,232.00 $418.88–$899.36 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 GHS THORACENTESIS/CHEST TUBE W GUIDANCE L $739.20 $1,232.00 $418.88–$899.36 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 GHS THORACENTESIS/CHEST TUBE W GUIDANCE R $739.20 $1,232.00 $418.88–$899.36 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 GHS OP THORACENTESIS - BIL $739.20 $1,232.00 $418.88–$899.36 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center one side Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 PULM Thoracentesis, Left $739.20 $1,232.00 $418.88–$899.36 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center one side Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 GHS OP THORACENTESIS - LT $739.20 $1,232.00 $418.88–$899.36 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center one side Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 PULM Thoracentesis, Right $739.20 $1,232.00 $418.88–$899.36 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center one side Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 GHS OP THORACENTESIS - RT $739.20 $1,232.00 $418.88–$899.36 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center one side Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 Thoracentesis Left (Endo) $739.20 $1,232.00 $418.88–$899.36 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center one side Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 Thoracentesis Right (Endo) $739.20 $1,232.00 $418.88–$899.36 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center one side Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 US Thoracentesis Right $858.60 $1,431.00 $486.54–$1,044.63 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center one side Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 THORACENTESIS RIGHT $858.60 $1,431.00 $486.54–$1,044.63 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 GHS THORACENTESIS/CHEST TUBE W GUIDANCE BIL $1,108.20 $1,847.00 $627.98–$1,348.31 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Clinton Medical Center one side Clinton, IA · (563) 244-5555 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Lt $1,265.55 $1,947.00 $551.00–$1,947.00 35% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Clinton Medical Center one side Clinton, IA · (563) 244-5555 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt $1,265.55 $1,947.00 $551.00–$1,947.00 35% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 US Thoracentesis Bil $1,287.60 $2,146.00 $729.64–$1,566.58 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Clinton Medical Center Clinton, IA · (563) 244-5555 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Bl $1,898.00 $2,920.00 $577.66–$2,920.00 35% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center both sides Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 PULM Thoracentesis, Bilateral $739.20 $1,232.00 $418.88–$899.36 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file
MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center both sides Dewitt, IA · (563) 659-4200 Thoracentesis Bilateral (Endo) $1,108.20 $1,847.00 $627.98–$1,348.31 40% Mar 31, 2026
source file

Inpatient: lowest $221.40, median $224.20, highest $227.00.

Both sides : lowest $739.20, median $739.20, highest $739.20.

The two groups are not comparable and are not averaged together: a price for both sides of the body covers twice the work. Merging them is how a single published "median" ends up far above what one side actually costs.

As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $483.10 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.

Cash or insurance?

At 2 of 2 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 it is 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.