Thoracentesis cost in Duluth, MN — inpatient
In Duluth, MN-WI, 6 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $609.88 to $1,352.38, with a median of $1,154.34. The lowest listed price is at Range Regional Health Services — $544.46 less than the median here. Across Minnesota, the median is $1,045.58 at 51 hospitals.
Cash prices at 6 facilities across 3 cities for code 32555, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 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 Duluth, MN-WI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 PR THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $609.88 | $1,435.00 | $72.31–$1,320.20 | 57% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $821.95 | $1,934.00 | $879.97–$1,924.52 | 58% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health Virginia Virginia, MN · (218) 741-3340 ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING | $1,098.37 | $1,749.00 | $750.15–$1,575.85 | 37% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health St. Mary's Children's Hospital Duluth, MN ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING | $1,154.34 | $1,749.00 | $750.15–$1,504.14 | 34% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health St. Mary's Medical Center Duluth, MN · (218) 786-3574 ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING | $1,154.34 | $1,749.00 | $750.15–$1,504.14 | 34% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health Duluth Duluth, MN · (218) 786-2652 ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING | $1,154.34 | $1,749.00 | $723.39–$1,504.14 | 34% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital Duluth, MN · (218) 249-2449 US Thoracentesis for Aspiration Only | $1,352.38 | $2,486.00 | — | 46% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital Duluth, MN · (218) 249-2449 THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $2,058.50 | $3,784.00 | — | 46% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital Duluth, MN · (218) 249-2449 Pro Thoracentesis Needle/Cath Pleura W/Imaging | $2,058.50 | $3,784.00 | — | 46% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital both sides Duluth, MN · (218) 249-2449 US Thoracentesis for Aspiration Only|BILATERAL PROCEDURE | $2,028.58 | $3,729.00 | — | 46% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital both sides Duluth, MN · (218) 249-2449 Pro Thoracentesis Needle/Cath Pleura W/Imaging|BILATERAL PROCEDURE | $3,087.74 | $5,676.00 | — | 46% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $609.88, median $1,154.34, highest $1,352.38 — a 2.2× difference within the same market.
Both sides : lowest $2,028.58, median $2,028.58, highest $2,028.58.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 9 facilities here, median $1,154.34 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 of 5 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.