Surgery and procedures CPT 32555 Inpatient — admitted to hospital

Thoracentesis cost in Oberlin, KS — inpatient

In Oberlin, KS, 1 hospital lists a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $1,379.67 to $1,379.67, with a median of $1,379.67. Across Kansas, the median is $878.84 at 32 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 May 26, 2026 and May 26, 2026.

Lowest$1,379.67Decatur Health
Median$1,379.67half pay less
Highest$1,379.67in this market
Difference1.0×highest vs lowest

Hospitals, cheapest first

HospitalCash price List priceInsurers payOff listFile date
Decatur Health Oberlin, KS · (785) 475-2208 Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance $1,379.67 $1,532.97 $919.78–$1,548.30 10% May 26, 2026
source file

Inpatient: lowest $1,379.67, median $1,379.67, highest $1,379.67.

As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $1,379.67 — 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. 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.