Thoracentesis cost in Rochester, NY — inpatient
In Rochester, NY, 7 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $180.08 to $2,204.22, with a median of $1,562.18. The lowest listed price is at Nicholas H. Noyes Memorial Hospital — $1,382.10 less than the median here. Across New York, the median is $737.31 at 64 hospitals.
Cash prices at 7 facilities across 5 cities 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.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Rochester, NY.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas H. Noyes Memorial Hospital lowest Dansville, NY · (585) 335-6001 PR THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $180.08 | $302.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Strong Memorial Hospital Rochester, NY · (585) 275-2121 PR THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $262.50 | $525.00 | $51.56–$1,465.98 | 50% | — source file |
| F.F. Thompson Hospital Canandaigua, NY · (585) 396-6000 PR THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $271.91 | $456.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Clifton Springs Hospital And Clinic Clifton Springs, NY · (315) 462-9561 HC THORACENTESIS_ ASPIRATION OF PLEURAL SPACE_ WITH IMAGING GUIDANCE | $1,562.18 | $2,403.35 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Clifton Springs Hospital And Clinic Clifton Springs, NY · (315) 462-9561 HC ASPIRATE PLEURA W_ IMAGING | $1,562.18 | $2,403.35 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Clifton Springs Hospital And Clinic Clifton Springs, NY · (315) 462-9561 HC THORACENTESIS_ASPIRATION OF PLEURAL SPACE_WITH IMAGING GUIDANCE | $1,562.18 | $2,403.35 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Newark-Wayne Community Hospital Newark, NY · (315) 332-2022 HC THORACENTESIS_ASPIRATION OF PLEURAL SPACE_WITH IMAGING GUIDANCE | $2,053.14 | $3,158.68 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rochester General Hospital Rochester, NY · (585) 922-4000 HC THORACENTESIS_ ASPIRATION OF PLEURAL SPACE_ WITH IMAGING GUIDANCE | $2,053.14 | $3,158.68 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rochester General Hospital Rochester, NY · (585) 922-4000 HC THORACENTESIS_ASPIRATION OF PLEURAL SPACE_WITH IMAGING GUIDANCE | $2,053.14 | $3,158.68 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Newark-Wayne Community Hospital Newark, NY · (315) 332-2022 HC THORACENTESIS_ ASPIRATION OF PLEURAL SPACE_ WITH IMAGING GUIDANCE | $2,053.14 | $3,158.68 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The Unity Hospital of Rochester Rochester, NY · (585) 723-7000 HC THORACENTESIS_ NEEDLE_CATHETER_ ASPIRATION PLURAL SPACE_ W IMAGING GUIDANCE | $2,204.22 | $2,755.28 | — | 20% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The Unity Hospital of Rochester Rochester, NY · (585) 723-7000 HC ASPIRATE PLEURA W_ IMAGING | $2,204.22 | $2,755.28 | — | 20% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The Unity Hospital of Rochester Rochester, NY · (585) 723-7000 HC THORACENTESIS_ ASPIRATION OF PLEURAL SPACE_ WITH IMAGING GUIDANCE | $2,204.22 | $2,755.28 | — | 20% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The Unity Hospital of Rochester Rochester, NY · (585) 723-7000 HC THORACENTESIS_ASPIRATION OF PLEURAL SPACE_WITH IMAGING GUIDANCE | $2,204.22 | $2,755.28 | — | 20% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $180.08, median $1,562.18, highest $2,204.22 — a 12.2× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 8 facilities here, median $1,153.39 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
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.