Thoracentesis cost in Elmira, NY
In Elmira, NY, 2 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance: from $275.84 to $275.84, with a median of $275.84. The lowest listed price is at Arnot Ogden Medical Center and 1 other hospital. Across New York, the median is $737.31 at 64 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities 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 Mar 27, 2026 and Mar 27, 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 Elmira, NY.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arnot Ogden Medical Center lowest Elmira, NY · (607) 737-4100 HC Thoracentesis Needle/Cath Pleura W/Imaging | $275.84 | $1,379.18 | $660.90–$1,379.18 | 80% | Mar 27, 2026 source file |
| St. Joseph's Hospital Campus lowest Elmira, NY HC Thoracentesis Needle/Cath Pleura W/Imaging | $275.84 | $1,379.18 | $640.89–$704.98 | 80% | Mar 27, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $275.84, median $275.84, highest $275.84.
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 2 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.