Thoracentesis cost in Portland, ME — inpatient
In Portland-South Portland, ME, 5 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $119.34 to $1,841.90, with a median of $295.30. The lowest listed price is at Mercy Hospital — $175.96 less than the median here. Across Maine, the median is $377.30 at 18 hospitals.
Cash prices at 5 facilities across 4 cities for code 32555, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Sep 9, 2025 and Sep 9, 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 Portland-South Portland, ME.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy Hospital lowest Portland, ME PF ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING | $119.34 | $459.00 | $298.35–$342.41 | 74% | — source file |
| York Hospital York, ME · (207) 351-2478 DR THORACENTESIS WITH IMAGING | $159.60 | $266.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| MaineHealth Portland, ME · (207) 662-0111 PR THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $295.30 | $295.30 | $101.78–$600.70 | — | Sep 9, 2025 source file |
| MaineHealth Biddeford, ME PR THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $330.40 | $330.40 | $101.78–$600.70 | — | Sep 9, 2025 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Portland, ME PF THORACENTESIS PLEURA W IMAG | $370.76 | $1,426.00 | $926.90–$1,063.80 | 74% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Portland, ME THORACENTESIS W IMAGING | $625.56 | $2,406.00 | $1,563.90–$1,794.88 | 74% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Portland, ME CT THORACENTESIS PLEURA W IMG | $750.62 | $2,887.00 | $1,876.55–$2,153.70 | 74% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Portland, ME THORACENTESIS PLEURA W IMAGING | $750.62 | $2,887.00 | $1,876.55–$2,153.70 | 74% | — source file |
| York Hospital York, ME · (207) 351-2478 ASPIRATE PLEURA W/IMAGING | $1,033.20 | $1,722.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| York Hospital York, ME · (207) 351-2478 ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING | $1,033.20 | $1,722.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| MaineHealth Biddeford, ME HC ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING GUIDANCE | $1,099.75 | $1,099.75 | $808.98–$1,033.77 | — | Sep 9, 2025 source file |
| York Hospital York, ME · (207) 351-2478 THORACENTESIS WITH IMAGING-32555 | $1,120.80 | $1,868.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| York Hospital York, ME · (207) 351-2478 ER THORACENTESIS WITH IMAGING- 32555 | $1,120.80 | $1,868.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| York Hospital York, ME · (207) 351-2478 IR THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING | $1,428.60 | $2,381.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| MaineHealth Portland, ME · (207) 662-0111 HC ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING GUIDANCE | $1,597.85 | $1,597.85 | $1,175.38–$1,501.98 | — | Sep 9, 2025 source file |
| MaineHealth Brunswick, ME · (207) 729-0181 HC ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING GUIDANCE | $1,841.90 | $1,841.90 | $1,300.38–$1,738.75 | — | Sep 9, 2025 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $119.34, median $295.30, highest $1,841.90 — a 15.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 5 facilities here, median $295.30 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 3 of 4 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 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.