Surgery and procedures CPT 32555 Inpatient — admitted to hospital

Thoracentesis cost in Missoula, MT — inpatient

In Missoula, MT, 1 hospital lists a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $223.20 to $223.20, with a median of $223.20. Across Montana, the median is $447.99 at 8 hospitals.

Cash prices at 1 facility for code 32555, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 1, 2026.

Lowest$223.20St. Patrick Hospital
Median$223.20half pay less
Highest$223.20in this market
Difference1.0×highest vs lowest

Where each hospital's price falls

Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Missoula, MT.

median
Lowest $223.20Highest $1,737.60

Hospitals, cheapest first

HospitalCash price List priceInsurers payOff listFile date
St. Patrick Hospital lowest Missoula, MT · (406) 543-7271 HC PR ED 32555 THORACENTESIS/ASPIR W IMG GD CDM $223.20 $279.00 — 20% Apr 1, 2026
source file
St. Patrick Hospital Missoula, MT · (406) 543-7271 HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING $1,737.60 $2,172.00 — 20% Apr 1, 2026
source file
St. Patrick Hospital Missoula, MT · (406) 543-7271 HC ED THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING CDM $1,737.60 $2,172.00 — 20% Apr 1, 2026
source file

Inpatient: lowest $223.20, median $223.20, highest $223.20.

As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $223.20 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.

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.