Thoracentesis cost in Columbia, SC
In Columbia, SC, 3 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance: from $682.00 to $1,241.50, with a median of $682.00. The lowest listed price is at MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast and 1 other hospital. Across South Carolina, the median is $1,486.25 at 16 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 2 cities for code 32555, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 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 Columbia, SC.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast lowest Columbia, SC HB THORACENTESIS,ASPIRATE W IMG | $682.00 | $1,364.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown lowest Columbia, SC · (803) 256-5300 HB THORACENTESIS,ASPIRATE W IMG | $682.00 | $1,364.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kershaw Medical Center Camden, SC · (803) 432-4311 HB THORACENTESIS,ASPIRATE W IMG | $1,241.50 | $2,483.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $682.00, median $682.00, highest $1,241.50 — a 1.8× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $682.00. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
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.