Thoracentesis cost in Sidney, MT — inpatient
In Sidney, MT, 1 hospital lists a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance as an inpatient: from $355.43 to $355.43, with a median of $355.43. Across Montana, the median is $364.00 at 9 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 Apr 30, 2026 and Apr 30, 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 Sidney, MT.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney Health Center lowest Sidney, MT · (406) 488-2100 MD 32555 THORACENTESIS W IMAGING | $355.43 | $574.00 | $98.84–$545.30 | 38% | Apr 30, 2026 source file |
| Sidney Health Center lowest Sidney, MT · (406) 488-2100 PFR 32555 THORCENT WIMAGING | $355.43 | $574.00 | $98.84–$545.30 | 38% | Apr 30, 2026 source file |
| Sidney Health Center Sidney, MT · (406) 488-2100 SURG 32555 THORACENTESIS W IMAGING | $601.87 | $972.00 | $884.52–$972.00 | 38% | Apr 30, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $355.43, median $355.43, highest $355.43.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $355.43 — 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.
1 row held back from this comparison
It is priced below $1 or below a tenth of the national median for code 32555 ($1,189.50). Such a line is almost always a physician's fee billed separately, an assistant's share or a placeholder — a real charge, but not the price of the procedure itself.
| Sidney Health Center Sidney, MTED 32555 THORACENTESIS W IMAGING | $91.03 | file |