HCHG CT THORACENTESIS PLEURAL ASPIRATION in North Carolina
Below is what hospitals in North Carolina charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 10 hospitals in North Carolina run from $612 to $4,609. The typical hospital charges $1,577. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $1,577
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina East Medical Center NC · Price file September 25, 2026 | $612Insurance typically pays $854Sticker price $1,020 | Lowest price of any hospital | $854 | $1,020 |
| Rutherford Regional Medical Center NC | $844Insurance typically pays $1,308Sticker price $2,109 | Cheaper than 89% of hospitals | $1,308 | $2,109 |
| Cape Fear Valley Medical Center Fayetteville, NC | $1,030Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,716 | Cheaper than 78% of hospitals | — | $1,716 |
| Person Memorial Hospital NC | $1,392Insurance typically pays $1,846Sticker price $3,479 | Cheaper than 67% of hospitals | $1,846 | $3,479 |
| Sampson Regional Medical Center NC · Price file November 2, 2026 | $1,493Insurance typically pays $660Sticker price $2,133 | Cheaper than 56% of hospitals | $660 | $2,133 |
| Frye Regional Medical Center NC | $1,661Insurance typically pays $592Sticker price $4,152 | Pricier than 56% of hospitals | $592 | $4,152 |
| Harris Regional Hospital NC | $1,824Insurance typically pays $2,344Sticker price $4,559 | Pricier than 67% of hospitals | $2,344 | $4,559 |
| Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast Concord, NC · Price file December 1, 2025 | $2,557Insurance typically pays $2,280Sticker price $5,113 | Pricier than 78% of hospitals | $2,280 | $5,113 |
| Caromont Regional Medical Center NC · Price file May 11, 2026 | $3,474Insurance typically pays $1,127Sticker price $3,474 | Pricier than 89% of hospitals | $1,127 | $3,474 |
| Wilson Medical Center NC | $4,609Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $11,523 | Highest price of any hospital | — | $11,523 |
| Central Carolina Hospital NC · Price file July 20, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $7,931 | — | — | $7,931 |
| Memorial Mission Hospital And Asheville Surgery Ce NC · Price file September 1, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $2,550Sticker price — | — | $2,550 | — |
Procedure code 32555. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.