Thoracentesis cost in Caro, MI
In Caro, MI, 1 hospital lists a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance: from $137.60 to $137.60, with a median of $137.60. Across Michigan, the median is $1,084.15 at 54 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 32555, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Dec 31, 2025 and Dec 31, 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 Caro, MI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLaren Caro Region lowest Caro, MI · (989) 673-3141 US Thoracentesis - Report | $137.60 | $275.10 | $68.37–$170.96 | 50% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| McLaren Caro Region lowest Caro, MI · (989) 673-3141 CT Thoracentesis w/ CT Guidance - Report | $137.60 | $275.10 | $68.37–$170.96 | 50% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| McLaren Caro Region Caro, MI · (989) 673-3141 SP Thoracentesis, needle or catheter, aspiration of the pleural space; w/imaging guidance 32555 | $171.70 | $343.40 | $68.37–$170.96 | 50% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| McLaren Caro Region Caro, MI · (989) 673-3141 Hospitalist BP 32555 Thoracentesis Needle/Cath Pleura w/Image | $1,054.00 | $2,108.00 | $456.28–$1,086.85 | 50% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| McLaren Caro Region Caro, MI · (989) 673-3141 32555-US Thoracentesis | $1,054.00 | $2,108.00 | $456.28–$1,086.85 | 50% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| McLaren Caro Region Caro, MI · (989) 673-3141 Thoracentesis, needle or catheter, aspiration of the pleural space; w/imaging guidance 32555 | $1,054.00 | $2,108.00 | $456.28–$1,086.85 | 50% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $137.60, median $137.60, highest $137.60.
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.