Thoracentesis cost in Little Rock, AR — inpatient
In Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR, 3 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $152.02 to $371.14, with a median of $356.42. The lowest listed price is at Conway Regional Medical Center — $204.40 less than the median here. Across Arkansas, the median is $779.80 at 26 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 3 cities for code 32555, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 28, 2026 and Jul 2, 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conway Regional Medical Center lowest Conway, AR · (501) 329-3831 THORACENTESIS ND OR CATH W GDN | $152.02 | $691.00 | $152.02–$691.00 | 78% | Jul 2, 2026 source file |
| St Vincent Infirmary Medical Center Little Rock, AR · (501) 552-3000 THORACENTESIS | $356.42 | $1,389.00 | — | 74% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center Sherwood, AR · (501) 552-7100 THORACENTESIS W IMAGING GUIDANCE | $371.14 | $1,460.00 | — | 75% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| St Vincent Infirmary Medical Center Little Rock, AR · (501) 552-3000 CVS THORACENTESIS | $374.64 | $1,460.00 | — | 74% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Conway Regional Medical Center Conway, AR · (501) 329-3831 THORACENTESIS W/IMAG | $436.53 | $1,984.23 | $436.53–$1,984.23 | 78% | Jul 2, 2026 source file |
| Conway Regional Medical Center Conway, AR · (501) 329-3831 CT THORACENTESIS | $436.53 | $1,984.23 | $436.53–$1,984.23 | 78% | Jul 2, 2026 source file |
| Conway Regional Medical Center Conway, AR · (501) 329-3831 CT ABSC DR EMP PROC | $502.01 | $2,281.86 | $502.01–$2,281.86 | 78% | Jul 2, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $152.02, median $356.42, highest $371.14 — a 2.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 6 facilities here, median $560.57 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. 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.