Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity in Alaska
Below is what hospitals in Alaska charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 7 hospitals in Alaska run from $466 to $3,214. The typical hospital charges $1,237. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $1,237
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
8 hospitals. Sort by: Cash price ▲ · Negotiated median · Gross charge · Negotiated low
What these numbers mean.
Cash price is what the hospital lists for patients paying out of pocket.
Negotiated median is the middle of what insurance companies actually agreed to pay.
Gross charge is the sticker price — almost nobody pays it.
What you will actually pay is usually different from both numbers:
with insurance, your deductible, copay, or coinsurance decides what you owe —
the negotiated rate is what the insurer pays, not your bill.
A single line item may not be the whole cost: physician, anesthesia, pathology,
and facility fees can be billed separately.
Prices vary by hospital and change over time; always confirm with the hospital before you go.
| Hospital | Cash price | Where it sits | Insurance pays (typical) | Gross charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Searhc Wrangell Medical Center-cah AK · Price file December 9, 2024 | $466Insurance typically pays $1,398Sticker price $466 | Lowest price of any hospital | $1,398 | $466 |
| Kanakanak Hospital AK · Price file May 20, 2026 | $1,097Insurance typically pays $1,097Sticker price $1,371 | Cheaper than 83% of hospitals | $1,097 | $1,371 |
| South Peninsula Hospital AK · Price file May 11, 2026 | $1,121Insurance typically pays $1,345Sticker price $1,495 | Cheaper than 67% of hospitals | $1,345 | $1,495 |
| Yukon Kuskokwim Delta Reg Hospital AK · Price file July 22, 2026 | $1,237Insurance typically pays $1,051Sticker price $1,237 | Cheaper than 50% of hospitals | $1,051 | $1,237 |
| Fairbanks Memorial Hospital AK · Price file June 16, 2026 | $1,247Insurance typically pays $1,100Sticker price $1,312 | Pricier than 67% of hospitals | $1,100 | $1,312 |
| Providence Valdez Medical Center AK · Price file April 1, 2026 | $1,782Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,285 | Pricier than 83% of hospitals | — | $2,285 |
| Providence Alaska Medical Center AK · Price file April 1, 2026 | $3,214Insurance typically pays $4,473Sticker price $4,120 | Highest price of any hospital | $4,473 | $4,120 |
| Alaska Regional Hospital AK | —Insurance typically pays $3,429Sticker price — | — | $3,429 | — |
Procedure code 32554. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.