Thoracentesis cost in Columbus, OH
In Columbus, OH, 16 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance: from $227.00 to $3,657.55, with a median of $1,639.30. The lowest listed price is at Mount Carmel Dublin — $1,412.30 less than the median here. Across Ohio, the median is $1,825.53 at 94 hospitals.
Cash prices at 16 facilities across 10 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 Oct 22, 2025 and Apr 1, 2026.
Lowest$227.00Mount Carmel Dublin
Median$1,639.30half pay less
Highest$3,657.55in this market
Difference16.1×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 Columbus, OH.
median
Lowest $227.00Highest $3,663.00
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Carmel Dublin lowest Dublin, OH · (380) 898-9000 PR Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Cath Aspiration W Imaging Guidance | $227.00 | $227.00 | $8.69–$227.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus, OH · (614) 722-2000 PR THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $486.00 | $540.00 | $108.52–$436.54 | 10% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Morrow County Hospital Mount Gilead, OH · (419) 946-5015 Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance | $1,413.56 | $2,174.70 | $804.64–$2,109.46 | 35% | Oct 22, 2025 source file |
| Mount Carmel East Columbus, OH · (614) 234-5000 PR Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Cath Aspiration W Imaging Guidance | $1,470.30 | — | $49.40–$495.65 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel St Ann's Westerville, OH · (614) 546-4034 PR Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Cath Aspiration W Imaging Guidance | $1,470.30 | — | $49.40–$495.65 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel Grove City Grove City, OH PR Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Cath Aspiration W Imaging Guidance | $1,472.89 | — | $49.40–$1,472.89 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel New Albany Surgical Hospital one side New Albany, OH · (614) 775-6600 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Lt | $1,476.15 | $2,271.00 | $531.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel Grove City one side Grove City, OH HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Lt | $1,476.15 | $2,271.00 | $521.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel Dublin one side Dublin, OH · (380) 898-9000 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Lt | $1,476.15 | $2,271.00 | $531.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel St Ann's one side Westerville, OH · (614) 546-4034 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt | $1,476.15 | $2,271.00 | $531.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel Dublin one side Dublin, OH · (380) 898-9000 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt | $1,476.15 | $2,271.00 | $531.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel St Ann's one side Westerville, OH · (614) 546-4034 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Lt | $1,476.15 | $2,271.00 | $531.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel New Albany Surgical Hospital one side New Albany, OH · (614) 775-6600 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt | $1,476.15 | $2,271.00 | $531.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Diley Ridge Medical Center one side Canal Winchester, OH · (614) 838-7911 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Lt | $1,476.15 | $2,271.00 | $531.73–$3,186.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Diley Ridge Medical Center one side Canal Winchester, OH · (614) 838-7911 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt | $1,476.15 | $2,271.00 | $531.73–$3,186.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel East one side Columbus, OH · (614) 234-5000 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Lt | $1,476.15 | $2,271.00 | $521.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel East one side Columbus, OH · (614) 234-5000 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt | $1,476.15 | $2,271.00 | $521.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel Grove City one side Grove City, OH HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt | $1,476.15 | $2,271.00 | $521.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel St Ann's one side Westerville, OH · (614) 546-4034 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt | $1,513.47 | — | $531.73–$4,201.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Grady Memorial Hospital Delaware, OH · (740) 368-5145 Hc Thoracentesis W Imaging | $1,802.45 | $2,773.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel Grove City one side Grove City, OH HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt | $2,080.58 | — | $521.73–$4,201.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel East one side Columbus, OH · (614) 234-5000 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt | $2,107.61 | — | $521.73–$4,201.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Diley Ridge Medical Center Canal Winchester, OH · (614) 838-7911 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Bl | $2,214.55 | $3,407.00 | $531.73–$3,407.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel St Ann's Westerville, OH · (614) 546-4034 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Bl | $2,214.55 | $3,407.00 | $531.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel New Albany Surgical Hospital New Albany, OH · (614) 775-6600 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Bl | $2,214.55 | $3,407.00 | $531.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel Grove City Grove City, OH HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Bl | $2,214.55 | $3,407.00 | $521.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel East Columbus, OH · (614) 234-5000 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Bl | $2,214.55 | $3,407.00 | $521.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mount Carmel Dublin Dublin, OH · (380) 898-9000 HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Bl | $2,214.55 | $3,407.00 | $531.73–$4,201.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Berger Hospital Circleville, OH · (740) 420-8008 Hc Thoracentesis W Imaging | $2,927.60 | $4,504.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Pickerington Methodist Hospital Pickerington, OH Hc Thoracentesis W Imaging | $3,657.55 | $5,627.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Doctors Hospital Columbus, OH · (614) 544-2136 Hc Thoracentesis W Imaging | $3,657.55 | $5,627.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Grove City Methodist Grove City, OH Hc Thoracentesis W Imaging | $3,657.55 | $5,627.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Grant Medical Center Columbus, OH · (614) 566-9164 Hc Thoracentesis W Imaging | $3,657.55 | $5,627.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Dublin Methodist Hospital Dublin, OH · (614) 544-8000 Hc Thoracentesis W Imaging | $3,657.55 | $5,627.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Riverside Methodist Hospital Columbus, OH · (614) 566-5000 Hc Thoracentesis W Imaging | $3,657.55 | $5,627.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus, OH · (614) 722-2000 THORACENTESIS, ASP PLEURAL SPACE, NEEDLE OR CATH, IMG GUIDANCE | $3,663.00 | $4,070.00 | $2,645.50–$3,988.60 | 10% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $227.00, median $1,639.30, highest $3,657.55 — a 16.1× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 15 facilities here, median $2,927.60. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 3 of 8 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.