Thoracentesis cost in San Antonio, TX — inpatient
In San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX, 1 hospital lists a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $412.50 to $412.50, with a median of $412.50. Across Texas, the median is $1,325.03 at 88 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 32555, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 24, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Oct 14, 2025 and Oct 14, 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 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Health System lowest San Antonio, TX · (210) 358-2000 HC PBB THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $412.50 | $1,650.00 | $610.50–$1,402.50 | 75% | Oct 14, 2025 source file |
| University Health System lowest San Antonio, TX · (210) 358-2000 HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $412.50 | $1,650.00 | $610.50–$1,402.50 | 75% | Oct 14, 2025 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $412.50, median $412.50, highest $412.50.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $819.23 — 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 and 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.