Thoracentesis cost in Nebraska
In Nebraska, 38 hospitals publish a cash price for thoracentesis with imaging guidance: from $292.00 to $3,515.63, with a median of $939.00. The lowest price is at Chase County Hospital (Imperial). The highest price is 12.0× the lowest.
- The median here, $939.00, is 23% below the US median of $1,224.53.
- That is 1.5× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($640.89).
- Nebraska ranks 10th of 50 states by median, cheapest first.
- 9 of 38 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
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 10, 2026. See them on a map
Lowest$292.00Chase County Hospital
Median$939.00half of hospitals charge less
Highest$3,515.63in Nebraska
Lowest saves$647.00vs the median
Hospitals in Nebraska, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase County Hospital lowest Imperial · Imperial, NE 32555aspirate Pleura W/ Imaging -Tech | $292.00 | $292.00 | — source file |
| Saint Francis Medical Center Grand Island · Grand Island, NE HC THORACENTESIS W IMAGE GUIDE | $421.12 | $752.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center Lincoln · Lincoln, NE HC ASP PLEURA W/GUIDANCE | $492.48 | $1,026.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Fremont Health Fremont · Fremont, NE CT Exam | $521.70 | $1,410.00 | Feb 16, 2026 source file |
| Alegent Health Memorial Hospital, Schuyler Schuyler · Columbus, NE HC ASP PLEURA W/GUIDANCE | $583.84 | $712.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| CHI Health Plainview Hospital Plainview · Norfolk, NE HC THORACENTESIS W IMAGE GUIDE | $612.32 | $712.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| Alegent Health Immanuel Medical Center Omaha · Omaha, NE-IA HC ASP PLEURA W/GUIDANCE | $614.90 | $1,430.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| CHI Health Bergan Mercy Omaha · Omaha, NE-IA HC ASP PLEURA W/GUIDANCE | $614.90 | $1,430.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| CHI Health Lakeside Omaha · Omaha, NE-IA HC ASP PLEURA W/GUIDANCE | $614.90 | $1,430.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| CHI Health Midlands Papillion · Omaha, NE-IA HC ASP PLEURA W/GUIDANCE | $614.90 | $1,430.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| Memorial Health Care Systems Seward · Lincoln, NE Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance | $634.00 | $634.00 | Jul 15, 2026 source file |
| St. Mary's Community Hospital Nebraska City · Nebraska City, NE HC THORACENTESIS W IMAGE GUIDE | $648.62 | $791.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| Providence Medical Center Wayne · Wayne, NE US Guide Thoracentesis | $659.60 | $776.00 | Oct 20, 2026 source file |
| Nebraska Methodist Hospital Omaha · Omaha, NE-IA THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATHETER W/IMAGING GUIDANCE | $670.68 | $1,863.00 | Feb 14, 2026 source file |
| Beatrice Community Hospital Beatrice · Beatrice, NE Cc Hc Thoracentesis Needle/cath Pleura W/poc Us | $813.00 | $813.00 | — source file |
| Garden County Health Services Oshkosh · Oshkosh, NE Ed/thoracentesis | $825.00 | $1,213.00 | — source file |
| Chadron Community Hospital Chadron · Chadron, NE 32555-thoracentesis W/ Imaging Guidance | $895.00 | $1,278.00 | — source file |
| Good Samaritan Hospital Kearney · Kearney, NE HC ASP PLEURA W/GUIDANCE | $907.12 | $1,564.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| Cozad Community Hospital Cozad · Lexington, NE Thoracentesis W/ Imaging Guidance | $937.00 | $1,041.00 | — source file |
| Pawnee County Memorial Hospital Pawnee City · Pawnee City, NE Thoracentesis W/ Imaging | $941.00 | $1,176.00 | — source file |
| Nebraska Heart Hospital Lincoln · Lincoln, NE HC THORACENTESIS W IMAGE GUIDE | $962.32 | $2,092.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| Memorial Community Hospital Blair · Omaha, NE-IA Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance | $978.40 | $1,223.00 | Jul 15, 2026 source file |
| Valley County Hospital Ord · Ord, NE THORACENTESIS W/ IMAGING | $1,098.00 | $1,220.00 | Jun 15, 2026 source file |
| Phelps Memorial Health Center Holdrege · Holdrege, NE Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance | $1,210.50 | $1,345.00 | Feb 16, 2026 source file |
| Butler County Health David City · David City, NE Us Thoracentesis Eo | $1,385.00 | $1,385.00 | — source file |
| York General Hospital York · York, NE Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance | $1,421.50 | $1,421.50 | Jul 22, 2026 source file |
| Syracuse Area Health Syracuse · Syracuse, NE 32555 Thoracentesis Asp W/imaging Charge | $1,458.00 | $1,458.00 | — source file |
| Rock County Hospital Bassett · Bassett, NE 32555 Thoracentesis, Needle Or Catheter, Aspiration Of The Pleural Space Techfee | $1,526.00 | $1,606.00 | — source file |
| Regional West Medical Center Scottsbluff · Scottsbluff, NE HB RADIANT-THORACENTESIS NEEDLE/CATH PLEURA W/IMAGE | $1,600.80 | $2,668.00 | Mar 17, 2026 source file |
| Gordon Memorial Hospital Gordon · Gordon, NE Us Thoracentesis | $1,620.00 | $1,620.00 | — source file |
| Box Butte General Hospital Alliance · Alliance, NE ASPIRATE PLEURA W/ IMAGING | $1,762.40 | $2,203.00 | Aug 18, 2026 source file |
| St Francis Memorial Hospital West Point · West Point, NE US Guide Thoracentesis | $1,838.00 | $1,838.00 | Mar 18, 2026 source file |
| Columbus Community Hospital Columbus · Columbus, NE ASPIRATION OF FLUID FROM CHEST CAVITY USING IMAGING GUIDANCE | $1,900.00 | $2,000.00 | Mar 30, 2026 source file |
| West Holt Memorial Hospital Atkinson · Atkinson, NE Thoracentesis | $1,990.00 | $2,488.00 | — source file |
| Kimball County Hospital Kimball · Kimball, NE Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance | $2,374.00 | $2,374.00 | Oct 12, 2026 source file |
| Bellevue Medical Center Bellevue · Omaha, NE-IA Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance | $2,603.25 | $4,005.00 | Aug 10, 2026 source file |
| Nebraska Medical Center Omaha · Omaha, NE-IA Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance | $2,603.25 | $4,005.00 | Aug 10, 2026 source file |
| Mary Lanning Healthcare Hastings · Hastings, NE Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity using imaging guidance | $3,515.63 | $3,906.26 | Oct 14, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | 8 | $614.90 | $642.79 |
| Lincoln, NE | 3 | $492.48 | $634.00 |
| Columbus, NE | 2 | $583.84 | $1,241.92 |
| Alliance, NE | 1 | $1,762.40 | $1,762.40 |
| Atkinson, NE | 1 | $1,990.00 | $1,990.00 |
| Bassett, NE | 1 | $1,526.00 | $1,526.00 |
| Beatrice, NE | 1 | $813.00 | $813.00 |
| Chadron, NE | 1 | $895.00 | $895.00 |
| David City, NE | 1 | $1,385.00 | $1,385.00 |
| Fremont, NE | 1 | $521.70 | $521.70 |
| Gordon, NE | 1 | $1,620.00 | $1,620.00 |
| Grand Island, NE | 1 | $421.12 | $421.12 |
| Holdrege, NE | 1 | $1,210.50 | $1,210.50 |
| Hastings, NE | 1 | $3,515.63 | $3,515.63 |
| Imperial, NE | 1 | $292.00 | $292.00 |
| Kimball, NE | 1 | $2,374.00 | $2,374.00 |
| Kearney, NE | 1 | $907.12 | $907.12 |
| Lexington, NE | 1 | $937.00 | $937.00 |
| Nebraska City, NE | 1 | $648.62 | $648.62 |
| Norfolk, NE | 1 | $612.32 | $612.32 |
| Ord, NE | 1 | $1,098.00 | $1,098.00 |
| Oshkosh, NE | 1 | $825.00 | $825.00 |
| Pawnee City, NE | 1 | $941.00 | $941.00 |
| Scottsbluff, NE | 1 | $1,600.80 | $1,600.80 |
| Syracuse, NE | 1 | $1,458.00 | $1,458.00 |
| Wayne, NE | 1 | $659.60 | $659.60 |
| West Point, NE | 1 | $1,838.00 | $1,838.00 |
| York, NE | 1 | $1,421.50 | $1,421.50 |
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$1,055.53
- Alaska$2,211.30
- Arizona$1,106.95
- Arkansas$925.00
- California$2,033.20
- Colorado$1,250.95
- 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$843.94
- Missouri$1,022.79
- Montana$927.54
- 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$1,410.82
- Utah$1,018.79
- Vermont$1,258.00
- Virginia$1,321.80
- Washington$1,321.84
- West Virginia$1,250.40
- Wisconsin$1,200.00
- Wyoming$1,088.89
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.