Thoracentesis cost in Macon, GA
In Macon-Bibb County, GA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance: from $1,321.50 to $1,321.50, with a median of $1,321.50. Across Georgia, the median is $2,939.04 at 34 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility 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 Nov 19, 2025 and Nov 19, 2025.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Macon-Bibb County, GA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atrium Health Navicent the Medical Center lowest Macon, GA · (478) 633-1000 HC ER THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING | $1,321.50 | $2,643.00 | $602.42–$2,457.99 | 50% | Nov 19, 2025 source file |
| Atrium Health Navicent the Medical Center lowest Macon, GA · (478) 633-1000 HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $1,321.50 | $2,643.00 | $602.42–$5,756.44 | 50% | Nov 19, 2025 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $1,321.50, median $1,321.50, highest $1,321.50.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $1,321.50. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
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.