Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity in North Carolina
Below is what hospitals in North Carolina charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 9 hospitals in North Carolina run from $306 to $3,304. The typical hospital charges $855. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $855
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast Concord, NC · Price file December 1, 2025 | $306Insurance typically pays $310Sticker price $613 | Lowest price of any hospital | $310 | $613 |
| Carolina East Medical Center NC · Price file September 25, 2026 | $588Insurance typically pays $714Sticker price $980 | Cheaper than 88% of hospitals | $714 | $980 |
| Wilson Medical Center NC | $780Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,949 | Cheaper than 75% of hospitals | — | $1,949 |
| Rutherford Regional Medical Center NC | $844Insurance typically pays $1,308Sticker price $2,109 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $1,308 | $2,109 |
| Sampson Regional Medical Center NC · Price file November 2, 2026 | $855Insurance typically pays $660Sticker price $1,221 | Cheaper than 50% of hospitals | $660 | $1,221 |
| Cape Fear Valley Medical Center Fayetteville, NC | $1,114Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,856 | Pricier than 62% of hospitals | — | $1,856 |
| Person Memorial Hospital NC | $1,634Insurance typically pays $1,846Sticker price $4,085 | Pricier than 75% of hospitals | $1,846 | $4,085 |
| Harris Regional Hospital NC | $2,154Insurance typically pays $2,344Sticker price $5,386 | Pricier than 88% of hospitals | $2,344 | $5,386 |
| Caromont Regional Medical Center NC · Price file May 11, 2026 | $3,304Insurance typically pays $1,157Sticker price $3,304 | Highest price of any hospital | $1,157 | $3,304 |
| Central Carolina Hospital NC · Price file July 20, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $5,667 | — | — | $5,667 |
| Memorial Mission Hospital And Asheville Surgery Ce NC · Price file September 1, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $2,550Sticker price — | — | $2,550 | — |
Procedure code 32554. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.