Thoracentesis cost in Johnson City, TN — inpatient
In Johnson City, TN, 3 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $383.85 to $383.85, with a median of $383.85. The lowest listed price is at Franklin Woods Community Hospital and 2 other hospitals. Across Tennessee, the median is $487.08 at 40 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 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 23, 2026 and Mar 23, 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 Johnson City, TN.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Woods Community Hospital lowest Johnson City, TN · (423) 302-1120 HC THORACENTESIS ASPIR W IMAG GUID | $383.85 | $2,559.00 | $511.73–$2,559.00 | 85% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Johnson City Medical Center lowest Johnson City, TN · (423) 431-6111 HC THORACENTESIS ASPIR W IMAG GUID | $383.85 | $2,559.00 | $578.00–$2,559.00 | 85% | — source file |
| Sycamore Shoals Hospital lowest Elizabethton, TN · (423) 542-1300 HC THORACENTESIS ASPIR W IMAG GUID | $383.85 | $2,559.00 | $565.75–$2,559.00 | 85% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $383.85, median $383.85, highest $383.85.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $383.85 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 3 of 3 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 3 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.