Thoracentesis cost in Colorado
In Colorado, 32 hospitals publish a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance: from $249.90 to $4,920.89, with a median of $1,250.95. The lowest price is at Salida Hospital District (Salida). The highest price is 19.7× the lowest.
- The median here, $1,250.95, is 2% above the US median of $1,223.60.
- That is 2.0× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($640.89).
- Colorado ranks 29th of 50 states by median, cheapest first.
- 7 of 32 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Colorado's Hospital Discounted Care law (HB21-1198): for qualifying patients with household income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level, hospitals and the clinicians who work in them may charge no more than the greater of the Medicare rate or the Medicaid base rate, and monthly payments are capped. That can be less than the cash prices below; ask the hospital to screen you for discounted care. Other states' laws.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 32555. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Nov 9, 2026. See them on a map
Lowest$249.90Salida Hospital District
Median$1,250.95half of hospitals charge less
Highest$4,920.89in Colorado
Lowest saves$1,001.05vs the median
Hospitals in Colorado, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salida Hospital District lowest Salida · Salida, CO Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance | $249.90 | $294.00 | Jul 10, 2026 source file |
| Melissa Memorial Hospital Holyoke · Holyoke, CO Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance | $260.00 | $325.00 | Nov 7, 2026 source file |
| Vail Health Hospital Vail · Edwards, CO US Thoracentesis | $375.00 | $500.00 | Aug 5, 2026 source file |
| Grand River Medical Center Rifle · Rifle, CO ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING | $425.50 | $851.00 | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
| Denver Health and Hospital Authority Denver · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HC THORACENTESIS W IMG GUIDANCE | $486.39 | $1,389.67 | Apr 30, 2026 source file |
| Wray Community District Hospital Wray · Wray, CO CHG Thoracentesis - Charge | $617.98 | $823.98 | Mar 1, 2024 source file |
| Sterling Regional Medical Center one side Sterling · Sterling, CO THORACENTESIS ASP W IMG LT | $668.39 | $1,569.00 | Sep 23, 2026 source file |
| Yuma Disctrict Hospital Yuma · Yuma, CO 32555 Thoracentesis, needle or catheter, aspiration of the pleural space; with imaging guidance | $815.25 | $1,087.00 | May 28, 2026 source file |
| Delta County Memorial Hospital Delta · Delta, CO THORACENTESISW IMAGING | $825.30 | $2,063.25 | Aug 24, 2026 source file |
| San Luis Valley Health Conejos County Hospital La Jara · Alamosa, CO THORACENTESIS W/ IMAGING | $892.65 | $1,623.00 | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| Banner Fort Collins Medical Center one side Fort Collins · Fort Collins-Loveland, CO THORACENTESIS ASP W IMG LT | $1,045.28 | $2,653.00 | Sep 23, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital Colorado Aurora · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HB=THORACENTESIS WITH GUIDANCE | $1,060.15 | $1,631.00 | Apr 17, 2026 source file |
| East Morgan County Hospital one side Brush · Fort Morgan, CO THORACENTESIS ASP W IMG RT | $1,112.42 | $1,569.00 | Sep 23, 2026 source file |
| San Luis Valley Health Alamosa · Alamosa, CO THORACENTESIS W/ IMAGING | $1,146.75 | $2,085.00 | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| Delta Health Hospital Delta · Delta, CO US THORACENTESIS | $1,179.00 | $1,965.00 | Apr 2, 2026 source file |
| Banner North Colorado Medical Center one side Greeley · Greeley, CO THORACENTESIS ASP W IMG RT | $1,185.89 | $2,653.00 | Sep 23, 2026 source file |
| Family Health West Hospital one side Fruita · Grand Junction, CO HC THORACENTESIS/ASPIRATION WITH IMAGING UNILATERAL | $1,316.00 | $1,880.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| National Jewish Health one side Denver · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HC THORACENTESIS/ASPIRATION WITH IMAGING UNILATERAL | $1,339.80 | $1,914.00 | Mar 1, 2026 source file |
| Community Hospital one side Grand Junction · Grand Junction, CO ASPIRATION OF FLUID FROM CHEST CAVITY USING IMAGING GUIDANCE | $1,400.00 | $2,500.00 | Mar 13, 2026 source file |
| Pagosa Springs Medical Center Pagosa Springs · Pagosa Springs, CO 32555 Thoracentesis, needle or catheter, aspiration of the p | $1,943.52 | $2,429.40 | Sep 24, 2026 source file |
| Gunnison Valley Hospital Gunnison · Gunnison, CO Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance | $1,978.80 | $2,328.00 | Jul 10, 2026 source file |
| Aspen Valley Hospital District Aspen · Rifle, CO THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING - Facility Fee | $2,152.00 | $2,152.00 | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| Lincoln Health Hugo · Hugo, CO 32555 thoracentesis needle or catheter aspiration of the pleural space techfee | $2,171.00 | $2,171.00 | Jun 4, 2026 source file |
| Boulder Community Health Boulder · Boulder, CO HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $3,131.00 | $6,262.00 | Sep 16, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Avista Louisville · Boulder, CO HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $4,893.55 | $4,893.55 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Castle Rock Castle Rock · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $4,893.55 | $4,893.55 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Littleton Littleton · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $4,893.55 | $4,893.55 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Parker Parker · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $4,893.55 | $4,893.55 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Porter Denver · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HC THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGING | $4,893.55 | $4,893.55 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Middle Park Health - Fraser Fraser · Fraser, CO HC THORACENTESIS W IMAGING | $4,920.89 | $6,151.11 | Apr 28, 2026 source file |
| Middle Park Medical Center Kremmling · Kremmling, CO HC THORACENTESIS W IMAGING | $4,920.89 | $6,151.11 | Apr 27, 2026 source file |
| Middle Park Medical Center-Granby Granby · Granby, CO HC THORACENTESIS W IMAGING | $4,920.89 | $6,151.11 | Apr 27, 2026 source file |
Hospital The hospital that published the price, its city and the line exactly as written in its price file.
Cash price The hospital's own price for a patient paying without insurance (“discounted cash” in its price file). Hospitals must publish it under federal law, 45 CFR 180.50. Call to confirm it before booking. More
List price The hospital's full chargemaster price (“gross charge”) before any discount. Almost nobody pays it; the gap to the cash price shows what the self-pay discount is worth. More
File date When the hospital last updated its price file, as the file says itself. A dash means the file gives no date.
At or below Medicare This cash price is at or below what Medicare pays a hospital for the same service, which is unusually low. It is what the hospital's file says; confirm it and what it includes before booking. More
No cash discount This line's cash price equals the hospital's full list price. Many hospitals still reduce bills for uninsured patients: ask the billing office for its self-pay discount in writing. More
Check the item The description in the hospital file looks like a supply or device (a catheter, a brace, an implant), not this procedure. The hospital may have filed it under the wrong code: ask before relying on this price.
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 7 | $486.39 | $4,893.55 |
| Alamosa, CO | 2 | $892.65 | $1,019.70 |
| Boulder, CO | 2 | $3,131.00 | $4,012.28 |
| Delta, CO | 2 | $825.30 | $1,002.15 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 2 | $1,316.00 | $1,358.00 |
| Rifle, CO | 2 | $425.50 | $1,288.75 |
| Edwards, CO | 1 | $375.00 | $375.00 |
| Fraser, CO | 1 | $4,920.89 | $4,920.89 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 1 | $1,045.28 | $1,045.28 |
| Fort Morgan, CO | 1 | $1,112.42 | $1,112.42 |
| Granby, CO | 1 | $4,920.89 | $4,920.89 |
| Gunnison, CO | 1 | $1,978.80 | $1,978.80 |
| Greeley, CO | 1 | $1,185.89 | $1,185.89 |
| Holyoke, CO | 1 | $260.00 | $260.00 |
| Hugo, CO | 1 | $2,171.00 | $2,171.00 |
| Kremmling, CO | 1 | $4,920.89 | $4,920.89 |
| Pagosa Springs, CO | 1 | $1,943.52 | $1,943.52 |
| Salida, CO | 1 | $249.90 | $249.90 |
| Sterling, CO | 1 | $668.39 | $668.39 |
| Wray, CO | 1 | $617.98 | $617.98 |
| Yuma, CO | 1 | $815.25 | $815.25 |
Market A metro area (as the Census Bureau defines it) or, outside metro areas, a town. Each links to every hospital price there.
Hospitals How many hospitals publish a cash price for this code here. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price.
Lowest The lowest cash price among those hospitals.
Median The middle cash price: half of the hospitals charge less, half charge more. One price per hospital. More
What thoracentesis is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Thoracentesis explained.
Thoracentesis with imaging guidance in other states
- Alabama$1,011.45
- Alaska$2,211.30
- Arizona$1,106.95
- Arkansas$925.00
- California$2,033.20
- Connecticut$1,253.00
- Delaware$1,784.75
- District of Columbia$1,228.69, 3 hospitals
- Florida$1,874.28
- Georgia$1,410.41
- Hawaii$1,434.00
- Idaho$1,155.70
- Illinois$1,250.00
- Indiana$1,095.50
- Iowa$983.20
- Kansas$969.83
- Kentucky$978.22
- Louisiana$646.80
- Maine$686.40
- Maryland$1,249.16
- Massachusetts$1,787.00
- Michigan$1,092.18
- Minnesota$926.91
- Mississippi$857.78
- Missouri$1,022.79
- Montana$927.54
- Nebraska$939.00
- Nevada$1,259.58
- New Hampshire$1,063.30
- New Jersey$1,782.00
- New Mexico$1,229.41
- New York$1,282.00
- North Carolina$1,029.60
- North Dakota$792.75
- Ohio$1,737.60
- Oklahoma$684.00
- Oregon$1,534.65
- Pennsylvania$1,474.38
- Puerto Rico$600.00, 4 hospitals
- Rhode Island$1,714.65
- South Carolina$1,404.00
- South Dakota$1,842.00
- Tennessee$633.65
- Texas$1,423.68
- Utah$1,018.79
- Vermont$1,258.00
- Virginia$1,321.80
- Washington$1,307.67
- West Virginia$1,250.40
- Wisconsin$1,200.00
- Wyoming$1,088.89
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.