Thoracentesis cost in McAllen, TX
In McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX, 2 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance: from $627.00 to $627.00, with a median of $627.00. The lowest listed price is at Knapp Medical Center and 1 other hospital. Across Texas, the median is $1,423.68 at 189 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 32555, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Sep 1, 2026 and Sep 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knapp Medical Center lowest Weslaco, TX · (956) 968-8567 Hc Thoracentesis Ndl/Cath Pleura Asp W Imag | $627.00 | $3,239.55 | $175.00–$3,174.76 | 81% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Mission Regional Medical Center lowest Mission, TX · (956) 323-9000 Aspirate pleura w/ imaging | $627.00 | $4,615.02 | $156.24–$3,692.02 | 86% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Mission Regional Medical Center lowest Mission, TX · (956) 323-9000 THORACENTESIS W INS TUBE W/WO | $627.00 | $3,100.05 | $156.24–$3,692.02 | 80% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $627.00, median $627.00, highest $627.00.
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 none is it 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.