Thoracentesis cost in Missouri
In Missouri, 23 hospitals publish a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance: from $202.50 to $3,035.50, with a median of $720.85. The lowest price is at Mercy Hospital Lincoln (Elsberry) and 1 other hospital. The highest price is 15.0× the lowest.
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 Sep 25, 2026.
Lowest$202.50Mercy Hospital Lincoln + 1 more
Median$720.85half pay less
Highest$3,035.50in Missouri
Lowest saves$518.35vs the median
Hospitals in Missouri, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Elsberry · St. Louis, MO-IL Thoracentesis Needle/Cath Pleura W/Imaging | $202.50 | $270.00 | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospitals East Communities lowest Washington · St. Louis, MO-IL Thoracentesis Needle/Cath Pleura W/Imaging | $202.50 | $270.00 | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Southeast Cape Girardeau · Cape Girardeau, MO-IL Thoracentesis Needle/Cath Pleura W/Imaging | $244.50 | $326.00 | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Perry Perryville · Perryville, MO Thoracentesis Plrl Aspir W/Img Guide Pf | $324.35 | $499.00 | — source file |
| Fitzgibbon Hospital Marshall · Marshall, MO Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance | $443.42 | $554.27 | Feb 2, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln Troy · St. Louis, MO-IL Thoracentesis Plrl Aspir W/Img Guide Pf | $453.70 | $698.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lebanon Lebanon · Lebanon, MO Thoracentesis Plrl Aspir W/Img Guide Pf | $494.00 | $760.00 | — source file |
| Mercy St. Francis Hospital Mountain View · West Plains, MO Thoracentesis Plrl Aspir W/Img Guide Pf | $518.70 | $798.00 | — source file |
| St Joseph Medical Center Kansas City · Kansas City, MO-KS Hc Thoracentesis Ndl/Cath Pleura Asp W Imag | $625.00 | $5,918.10 | Mar 17, 2026 source file |
| Children's Mercy Hospital Kansas City · Kansas City, MO-KS ASPIRATE PLEURA W/IMAGING x1 | $651.36 | $1,357.00 | — source file |
| Boone Hospital Center Columbia · Columbia, MO ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING-CF | $671.40 | $1,119.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Springfield Springfield · Springfield, MO Thoracentesis Pleural Space W Guidance | $720.85 | $1,109.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Springfield Ozark · Springfield, MO Thoracentesis Pleural Space W Guidance | $720.85 | $1,109.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Southeast Cape Girardeau · Cape Girardeau, MO-IL Thoracentesis Asp Pleural Space W Guidance | $951.60 | $1,464.00 | — source file |
| Freeman Health System - Freeman West Joplin · Joplin, MO-KS THORACENTESIS | $1,057.56 | $2,643.90 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Carthage Carthage · Joplin, MO-KS Thoracentesis Pleural Space W Guidance | $1,113.45 | $1,713.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Cassville Cassville · Cassville, MO Thoracentesis Pleural Space W Guidance | $1,151.15 | $1,771.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital St Louis Saint Louis · St. Louis, MO-IL Thoracentesis Pleural Space W Guidance | $1,368.90 | $2,106.00 | — source file |
| Curators of the University of Missouri Columbia · Columbia, MO THORACENTESIS,NEEDLE OR CATHETER, WITH IMAGING GUIDANCE-SC | $1,519.20 | $2,532.00 | Dec 15, 2025 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Joplin Joplin · Joplin, MO-KS Thoracentesis Pleural Space W Guidance | $1,751.75 | $2,695.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Washington Washington · St. Louis, MO-IL Thoracentesis Pleural Space W Guidance | $1,901.90 | $2,926.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital South Saint Louis · St. Louis, MO-IL Thoracentesis Pleural Space W Guidance | $2,164.90 | $3,330.62 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Jefferson Festus · St. Louis, MO-IL Thoracentesis Pleural Space W Guidance | $3,035.50 | $4,670.00 | — source file |
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 7 | $202.50 | $1,368.90 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | 3 | $1,057.56 | $1,113.45 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 2 | $244.50 | $598.05 |
| Columbia, MO | 2 | $671.40 | $1,095.30 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 2 | $625.00 | $638.18 |
| Springfield, MO | 2 | $720.85 | $720.85 |
| Cassville, MO | 1 | $1,151.15 | $1,151.15 |
| Lebanon, MO | 1 | $494.00 | $494.00 |
| Marshall, MO | 1 | $443.42 | $443.42 |
| Perryville, MO | 1 | $324.35 | $324.35 |
| West Plains, MO | 1 | $518.70 | $518.70 |
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.
Thoracentesis with imaging guidance in other states
- Alabama$3,129.16
- Alaska$2,541.24
- Arizona$5,748.00
- Arkansas$809.60
- California$2,033.20
- Colorado$4,893.55
- Connecticut$847.92
- Delaware$1,784.75
- Florida$2,001.98
- Georgia$2,939.04
- Hawaii$925.80
- Idaho$1,672.00
- Illinois$960.00
- Indiana$1,219.40
- Iowa$766.40
- Kansas$3,616.60
- Kentucky$2,895.22
- Louisiana$646.80
- Maine$377.30
- Maryland$1,580.35
- Massachusetts$1,645.70
- Michigan$1,084.15
- Minnesota$1,045.58
- Mississippi$643.32
- Montana$447.99
- Nebraska$630.87
- Nevada$1,231.80
- New Hampshire$820.64
- New Jersey$818.31
- New Mexico$934.15
- New York$737.31
- North Carolina$1,571.00
- North Dakota$599.76
- Ohio$1,825.53
- Oklahoma$673.55
- Oregon$868.70
- Pennsylvania$1,425.60
- Rhode Island$2,700.00
- South Carolina$1,486.25
- South Dakota$1,842.00
- Tennessee$487.08
- Texas$1,325.03
- Utah$1,348.18
- Vermont$500.00
- Virginia$1,659.00
- Washington$1,366.08
- West Virginia$1,626.31
- Wisconsin$1,150.00
- Wyoming$727.08
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.