Thoracentesis cost in Santa Maria, CA — inpatient
In Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $1,257.04 to $1,257.04, with a median of $1,257.04. Across California, the median is $2,033.20 at 175 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 32555, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 28, 2026 and Feb 28, 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marian Regional Medical Center lowest Santa Maria, CA · (805) 739-3100 THORACENTESIS W IMG UNI File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $1,257.04 | $2,937.00 | $1,850.31–$2,878.26 | 57% |
| Marian Regional Medical Center Santa Maria, CA · (805) 739-3100 THORACENTESIS W IMAGING File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $2,178.52 | $5,090.00 | $3,206.70–$4,988.20 | 57% |
Inpatient: lowest $1,257.04, median $1,257.04, highest $1,257.04.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $1,257.04 — 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.