Thoracentesis cost in Lebanon, NH — inpatient
In Lebanon-Claremont, NH-VT, 2 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $256.30 to $732.56, with a median of $494.43. The lowest listed price is at Valley Regional Hospital — $238.13 less than the median here. Across New Hampshire, the median is $820.64 at 6 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 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 Jun 6, 2026 and Jun 6, 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 Lebanon-Claremont, NH-VT.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Regional Hospital lowest Claremont, NH · (603) 542-7771 THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING OP | $256.30 | $466.00 | $35.00–$5,434.00 | 45% | Jun 6, 2026 source file |
| Valley Regional Hospital lowest Claremont, NH · (603) 542-7771 MD-THORACENTESIS PLEURAL SPACE W/IMAG | $256.30 | $466.00 | $35.00–$5,434.00 | 45% | Jun 6, 2026 source file |
| Valley Regional Hospital lowest Claremont, NH · (603) 542-7771 THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING IP | $256.30 | $466.00 | $35.00–$5,434.00 | 45% | Jun 6, 2026 source file |
| Valley Regional Hospital Claremont, NH · (603) 542-7771 ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING | $654.50 | $1,190.00 | $35.00–$5,434.00 | 45% | Jun 6, 2026 source file |
| Valley Regional Hospital one side Claremont, NH · (603) 542-7771 THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING LT | $654.50 | $1,190.00 | $35.00–$5,434.00 | 45% | Jun 6, 2026 source file |
| Valley Regional Hospital one side Claremont, NH · (603) 542-7771 THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING RT | $654.50 | $1,190.00 | $35.00–$5,434.00 | 45% | Jun 6, 2026 source file |
| Valley Regional Hospital Claremont, NH · (603) 542-7771 THORACENTESIS PLEURAL SPACE W/IMAGING | $654.50 | $1,190.00 | $35.00–$5,434.00 | 45% | Jun 6, 2026 source file |
| Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital Lebanon, NH · (603) 650-5000 THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATHETER PLEURA W/IMAGING | $732.56 | $2,394.00 | $825.93–$2,274.30 | 69% | — source file |
| Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital Lebanon, NH · (603) 650-5000 THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATHETER PLEURA W/IMAGING | $1,175.96 | $3,843.00 | $1,325.83–$3,650.85 | 69% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $256.30, median $494.43, highest $732.56 — a 2.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $494.43 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
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 1 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.