Thoracentesis cost in Milwaukee, WI — inpatient
In Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, 9 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $1,150.00 to $1,413.78, with a median of $1,150.00. The lowest listed price is at Aurora West Allis Medical Center and 7 other hospitals. Across Wisconsin, the median is $1,150.00 at 78 hospitals.
Cash prices at 9 facilities across 7 cities for code 32555, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Nov 21, 2025 and Mar 23, 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora West Allis Medical Center lowest West Allis, WI · (414) 328-6000 THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING | $1,150.00 | $2,300.00 | $1,380.00–$104,267.48 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora St Lukes South Shore of Aurora Health Care Metro lowest Cudahy, WI THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING | $1,150.00 | $2,300.00 | $1,380.00–$1,955.00 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Medical Center Summit lowest Summit, WI · (262) 434-1600 THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING | $1,150.00 | $2,300.00 | $1,380.00–$1,955.00 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Medical Center Grafton lowest Grafton, WI · (262) 329-1000 THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING | $1,150.00 | $2,300.00 | $1,380.00–$1,955.00 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Medical Center Washington County lowest Hartford, WI · (262) 673-2300 THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING | $1,150.00 | $2,300.00 | $1,380.00–$1,955.00 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Medical Center Kenosha lowest Kenosha, WI · (262) 948-5600 THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING | $1,150.00 | $2,300.00 | $1,380.00–$1,955.00 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora Sinai Medical Center of Aurora Health Care Metro lowest Milwaukee, WI THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING | $1,150.00 | $2,300.00 | $1,380.00–$1,955.00 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Aurora St Lukes Medical Center of Aurora Health Care Metro lowest Milwaukee, WI · (414) 649-6000 THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING | $1,150.00 | $2,300.00 | $1,380.00–$1,955.00 | 50% | Nov 21, 2025 source file |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC 32555 THORACENTESIS W IMAGING | $1,413.78 | $2,570.50 | $1,799.35–$2,441.98 | 45% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · (414) 266-3954 HBC 32555 THORACENTESIS W IMAGING | $1,413.78 | $2,570.50 | $1,799.35–$2,441.98 | 45% | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $1,150.00, median $1,150.00, highest $1,413.78 — a 1.2× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 16 facilities here, median $1,150.00 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 9 of 9 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 9 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.