Thoracentesis cost in Lubbock, TX
In Lubbock, TX, 5 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance: from $1,351.56 to $2,648.10, with a median of $2,648.10. The lowest listed price is at Methodist Hospital Levelland — $1,296.54 less than the median here. Across Texas, the median is $1,325.03 at 88 hospitals.
Cash prices at 5 facilities across 2 cities 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 Apr 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 Lubbock, TX.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Methodist Hospital Levelland lowest Levelland, TX · (806) 894-4963 HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $1,351.56 | $3,218.00 | — | 58% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Hospital Levelland lowest Levelland, TX · (806) 894-4963 HC ED THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING CDM | $1,351.56 | $3,218.00 | — | 58% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| University Medical Center Lubbock, TX · (806) 775-8200 Hc Thoracentesis Needle/Cath Pleura W/Imaging | $2,138.00 | $2,138.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| University Medical Center Lubbock, TX · (806) 775-8200 Hc Thoracentesis W Imaging (Ec) | $2,138.00 | $2,138.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Covenant Long-Term Care Lubbock, TX HC ED THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING CDM | $2,648.10 | $6,305.00 | — | 58% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Children's Hospital Lubbock, TX · (806) 725-7975 HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $2,648.10 | $6,305.00 | — | 58% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Children's Hospital Lubbock, TX · (806) 725-7975 HC ED THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING CDM | $2,648.10 | $6,305.00 | — | 58% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Covenant Medical Center Lubbock, TX · (806) 725-4431 HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $2,648.10 | $6,305.00 | — | 58% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Covenant Medical Center Lubbock, TX · (806) 725-4431 HC ED THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING CDM | $2,648.10 | $6,305.00 | — | 58% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Covenant Long-Term Care Lubbock, TX HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $2,648.10 | $6,305.00 | — | 58% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $1,351.56, median $2,648.10, highest $2,648.10 — a 2.0× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 5 facilities here, median $2,648.10. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
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.