Thoracentesis cost in South Bend, IN — inpatient
In South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI, 2 hospitals list a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $327.00 to $1,600.95, with a median of $963.98. The lowest listed price is at Mishawaka Medical Center — $636.98 less than the median here. Across Indiana, the median is $1,219.40 at 56 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 32555, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 1, 2026 and Mar 31, 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 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mishawaka Medical Center lowest Mishawaka, IN PR Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Cath Aspiration W Imaging Guidance | $327.00 | $327.00 | $8.69–$654.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mishawaka Medical Center one side Mishawaka, IN HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Rt | $1,219.40 | $1,876.00 | $343.52–$2,343.22 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mishawaka Medical Center one side Mishawaka, IN HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Lt | $1,403.35 | $2,159.00 | $343.52–$2,343.22 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Memorial Hospital of South Bend South Bend, IN · (574) 647-1000 Thoracentesis Aspir w/ Image | $1,600.95 | $2,463.00 | $492.60–$2,019.66 | 35% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Memorial Hospital of South Bend South Bend, IN · (574) 647-1000 THORACENTESIS W/IMAGING GUIDANCE | $1,600.95 | $2,463.00 | $492.60–$2,019.66 | 35% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Mishawaka Medical Center Mishawaka, IN HC Thoracentesis Pleural Space Needle/Catheter Aspiration W/ Imaging Guidance Bl | $1,830.40 | $2,816.00 | $343.52–$2,816.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $327.00, median $963.98, highest $1,600.95 — a 4.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $1,410.18 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 2 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it 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.