Aspiration of fluid from chest cavity in Pennsylvania
Below is what hospitals in Pennsylvania charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 10 hospitals in Pennsylvania run from $365 to $2,880. The typical hospital charges $620. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $620
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Line Hospital Lankenau Wynnewood, PA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $365Insurance typically pays $727Sticker price $913 | Lowest price of any hospital | $727 | $913 |
| Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center PA | $598Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,496 | Cheaper than 89% of hospitals | — | $1,496 |
| Conemaugh Nason Medical Center PA | $598Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,496 | Cheaper than 89% of hospitals | — | $1,496 |
| Conemaugh Meyersdale Medical Center PA | $598Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,496 | Cheaper than 89% of hospitals | — | $1,496 |
| Conemaugh Miners Medical Center PA | $598Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,496 | Cheaper than 89% of hospitals | — | $1,496 |
| Roxborough Memorial Hospital PA · Price file September 1, 2026 | $641Insurance typically pays $770Sticker price $2,930 | Pricier than 56% of hospitals | $770 | $2,930 |
| Reading Hospital - Transplant Center PA | $1,016Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,452 | Pricier than 67% of hospitals | — | $1,452 |
| Milton S Hershey Medical Center Hershey, PA | $1,331Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $4,019 | Pricier than 78% of hospitals | — | $4,019 |
| Geisinger Medical Center PA | $2,863Insurance typically pays $599Sticker price $4,618 | Pricier than 89% of hospitals | $599 | $4,618 |
| Chester County Hospital West Chester, PA · Price file October 21, 2026 | $2,880Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,880 | Highest price of any hospital | — | $2,880 |
Procedure code 32554. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.