Thoracentesis cost in San Francisco, CA — inpatient
In San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, 11 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $664.90 to $2,956.00, with a median of $2,346.40. The lowest listed price is at Hayward Sisters Hospital — $1,681.50 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $2,033.20 at 90 hospitals.
Cash prices at 11 facilities across 11 cities for code 32555, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 23, 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayward Sisters Hospital lowest Hayward, CA · (510) 782-6200 CL-ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING | $664.90 | $2,216.34 | $1,551.44–$1,706.58 | 70% | Feb 23, 2026 source file |
| Hayward Sisters Hospital lowest Hayward, CA · (510) 782-6200 IR THORAENTESIS W IMAGE | $664.90 | $2,216.34 | $1,551.44–$1,706.58 | 70% | Feb 23, 2026 source file |
| Hayward Sisters Hospital lowest Hayward, CA · (510) 782-6200 THORACENTESIS W/IMAG GUID | $664.90 | $2,216.34 | $1,551.44–$1,706.58 | 70% | Feb 23, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Walnut Creek Walnut Creek, CA · (925) 295-4000 THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $2,346.40 | $4,190.00 | $747.00–$2,339.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fremont Fremont, CA · (510) 784-4000 THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $2,346.40 | $4,190.00 | $747.00–$2,339.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Redwood City Redwood City, CA · (650) 299-2000 THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $2,346.40 | $4,190.00 | $747.00–$2,339.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Rafael San Rafael, CA · (415) 444-2000 THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $2,346.40 | $4,190.00 | $747.00–$2,339.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Antioch Antioch, CA · (925) 813-6500 THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $2,346.40 | $4,190.00 | $747.00–$2,339.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Leandro San Leandro, CA · (510) 454-1000 THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $2,346.40 | $4,190.00 | $747.00–$2,339.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - South San Francisco South San Francisco, CA · (650) 742-3200 THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $2,346.40 | $4,190.00 | $747.00–$2,339.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Francisco San Francisco, CA · (415) 833-2646 THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $2,346.40 | $4,190.00 | $747.00–$2,339.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Oakland/Richmond Oakland, CA · (510) 752-1000 THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $2,346.40 | $4,190.00 | $747.00–$2,339.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley Pleasanton, CA · (925) 847-3000 Thoracentis W/Image Guide | $2,956.00 | $7,390.00 | — | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $664.90, median $2,346.40, highest $2,956.00 — a 4.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 12 facilities here, median $2,346.40 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 1 of 10 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.