Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis) Cost

Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis) is an endoscopic (scope) procedure. Prices are from 2130 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.

$1,290median cash price · 2130 hospitals, 52 statestypically $500–$2,803 depending on the hospital
≈ 4.5× Medicare · High vs MedicareFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)
$2,237
Cash / self-pay
$1,290
Insurer-negotiated
$1,097
Medicare pays
$284
$500$2,803
Median cash $1,290  ·  Medicare $284  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $1,290 — about 4.5× the Medicare rate ($284). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($568).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,237 list price could save about $947 (42%).

Estimate what you’ll pay
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Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Lawrence Memorial Hospital Walnut Ridge, AR $198 $226 — 93 min 15.0%
CHI St Alexius Health Dickinson Dickinson, ND $208 $287 ★ 2/5 185 min 13.6%
Hospital De La Concepcion San German, PR $208 $1,389 — — 16.2%
Driscoll Childrens Hospital Corpus Christi, TX $210 $583 — — —
Driscoll Children's Hospital Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX $210 $583 — — —
Hurley Medical Center Flint, MI $214 $818 ★ 2/5 169 min 15.6%
Providence Mount Carmel Hospital Colville, WA $216 — ★ 3/5 149 min 14.3%
Scheurer Hospital Pigeon, MI $223 — — 104 min 14.9%
Mercy Medical Center-New Hampton New Hampton, IA $225 $50 — 109 min 15.5%
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital Germantown, MD $225 $225 ★ 1/5 244 min 15.4%
St Joseph's Hospital Health Center Syracuse, NY $225 $60 ★ 2/5 228 min 16.2%
Nazareth Hospital Philadelphia, PA $225 $47 ★ 2/5 216 min 14.5%
Bellville Medical Center Bellville, TX $225 $60 — 101 min 15.6%
Gordon Memorial Hospital District Gordon, NE $233 $219 — 105 min 15.4%
East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie, LA $239 $8,798 ★ 2/5 162 min 15.3%
Carroll County Memorial Hospital Carrollton, MO $240 — — 104 min 14.9%
Kern Medical Center Bakersfield, CA $249 $340 ★ 1/5 293 min 15.3%
Arbuckle Memorial Hospital Sulphur, OK $254 $272 ★ 4/5 118 min 14.0%
Hansford County Hospital Spearman, TX $255 $322 — 96 min 15.3%
Contra Costa Regional Medical Center Martinez, CA $260 — ★ 4/5 175 min 14.2%
Baytown Medical Center Lp Baytown, TX $260 $633 — 102 min —
St Peters Health Helena, MT $269 $225 ★ 3/5 178 min 14.3%
Cottage Hospital Woodsville, NH $273 — ★ 4/5 118 min 14.8%
Regions Hospital Saint Paul, MN $276 $986 ★ 3/5 226 min 14.1%
Amery Hospital & Clinic Amery, WI $277 $208 ★ 2/5 116 min 14.5%

CMS rating = overall hospital star rating (1–5); ER wait = median minutes in the emergency department; Readmit = 30-day readmission rate (lower is better) — all from Medicare’s Care Compare; “—” = not reported. Data last updated August 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.

What insurers pay for Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis)

Median in-network negotiated rate by insurer, across hospitals that publish it (cheapest first). Your actual rate depends on your specific plan and deductible. Cash / self-pay for comparison: $1,290; Medicare pays $284.

InsurerHospitalsNegotiated median
Univera 14
$109
$85 – $244
Medicaid 313
$113
$34 – $808
Independent Health 37
$178
$119 – $1,109
Medicare 529
$225
$43 – $1,167
Amerigroup 153
$352
$198 – $1,206
Priority Health 60
$695
$158 – $2,051
AmeriHealth 198
$712
$93 – $2,213
Molina Healthcare 557
$739
$82 – $1,982
Harvard Pilgrim 45
$762
$225 – $2,523
Highmark 119
$822
$48 – $3,023
MVP Health Care 79
$828
$135 – $2,923
Workers' Comp / No-Fault 122
$847
$192 – $2,518
Tricare / VA 376
$852
$52 – $1,544
Geisinger 68
$866
$117 – $4,061
Centene / Ambetter 744
$878
$72 – $1,869
Anthem 546
$899
$84 – $3,386
Devoted Health 169
$908
$367 – $1,132
Humana 963
$917
$108 – $2,569
Blue Cross Blue Shield 1231
$927
$86 – $3,590
Sanford Health Plan 69
$933
$104 – $1,660
UCare 73
$945
$102 – $2,145
HealthPartners 229
$949
$115 – $2,248
UPMC Health Plan 105
$999
$140 – $3,983
Medica 209
$1,007
$216 – $3,833
UnitedHealthcare 1427
$1,042
$193 – $4,173
Kaiser Permanente 226
$1,161
$93 – $2,781
Bright Health 57
$1,187
$870 – $2,789
SelectHealth 46
$1,207
$225 – $4,882
Security Health Plan 59
$1,223
$356 – $2,039
Coventry 142
$1,309
$220 – $2,740
Healthcare Highways 46
$1,327
$631 – $2,251
Aetna 1305
$1,350
$239 – $4,063
Health Net 288
$1,479
$191 – $3,094
AvMed 62
$1,521
$579 – $8,313
MultiPlan / PHCS network 765
$1,650
$481 – $3,397
EmblemHealth 60
$1,841
$556 – $12,590
Cigna 1095
$1,879
$510 – $6,165
Oscar Health 226
$2,583
$525 – $3,479

Negotiated rates are from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); payer names are normalized to major brands, so a brand may span several plans. Estimates — confirm with your insurer.

Where it’s cheapest

StateMedian cash
Puerto Rico$300
Tennessee$551
New Hampshire$669
Mississippi$670
Louisiana$683
Arkansas$687

Prices by city

Chicago, ILPhiladelphia, PAAustin, TXDallas, TXCincinnati, OHFort Worth, TXNew York, NYBrooklyn, NYHouston, TXKansas City, MOLos Angeles, CABronx, NYCharlotte, NCCleveland, OHNashville, TNOklahoma City, OKPlano, TXSacramento, CAArlington, TXBirmingham, ALLittle Rock, ARMiami, FLMilwaukee, WIRochester, NY

Prices by state

CaliforniaTexasOhioFloridaWisconsinNew YorkIllinoisPennsylvaniaMinnesotaNorth CarolinaMichiganGeorgiaTennesseeColoradoMissouriLouisianaIowaOklahomaNebraskaArkansasKentuckyIndianaVirginiaKansasWashingtonArizonaMassachusettsMississippiWest VirginiaAlabamaMaineNew JerseySouth CarolinaSouth DakotaOregonConnecticutIdahoUtahMontanaNew HampshireNevadaNew MexicoNorth DakotaWyomingPuerto RicoVermontHawaiiMarylandDelawareAlaskaRhode IslandWashington DC

Doctors who perform this

Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.

ClinicianSpecialtyLocationMedicare services
Sydney RoseNurse PractitionerDenison, TX477
Suzanne Shelling, P.A.Physician AssistantAnnapolis, MD300
Nicholas ColePhysician AssistantRedding, CA277
Julie Post, NPNurse PractitionerFresno, CA275
Nicholas Townsend, PA-CPhysician AssistantIndianapolis, IN265
Kelly Birt, PAPhysician AssistantLynchburg, VA240
Timothy Townsend, M.D.Diagnostic RadiologyOdessa, TX237
Adam Guyer, M.D.Diagnostic RadiologySalem, VA231
Paul Speece, M.D.Interventional RadiologyFresno, CA228
Janet Weir, FNPNurse PractitionerLos Angeles, CA222
Marco Floridia, M.D.Diagnostic RadiologyLos Angeles, CA221
Pallav Shah, M.D.Diagnostic RadiologyChico, CA218

Browse doctors by specialty & city →

Does Medicare cover Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis)?

Yes — Medicare generally covers Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis). It is typically an outpatient service under Medicare Part B, with a Medicare-approved amount of about $284. After your annual Part B deductible, you typically owe the 20% coinsurance — roughly $57 — unless a Medicare Advantage or supplemental (Medigap) plan covers it.

General guidance from Medicare’s national rates — your actual coverage and share depend on medical necessity, your plan, and where the service is performed. Confirm with Medicare or your plan.

About these prices

Based on prices published by 2130 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $1,290, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $2,237, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $1,097, a Medicare rate of about $284. Most cash prices fall between $500 and $2,803 — a wide spread, which is exactly why comparing hospitals pays off.

How to save

  • Ask each hospital for its cash / self-pay price — for shoppable services it is often far below the list price.
  • Compare several nearby hospitals; prices for the same service can differ severalfold.
  • Request a written estimate and the billing code (CPT/DRG) before scheduling.
  • Use the Medicare benchmark above to judge whether a quote is reasonable.
  • If you are uninsured, ask about financial assistance or prompt-pay discounts.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis) cost without insurance?
The median cash (self-pay) price across 2130 US hospitals is $1,290. Most hospitals fall between $500 and $2,803. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.
Does Medicare cover Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis)?
Yes — it is generally covered under Medicare Part B as an outpatient service (Medicare-approved amount about $284). After your Part B deductible you typically owe 20% coinsurance, unless a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan covers it.
What does Medicare pay for Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis)?
Medicare pays about $284. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.
Why do Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis) prices vary between hospitals?
Hospitals set their own chargemaster and cash prices and negotiate different rates with each insurer, so two hospitals in the same area can charge very differently for the same service.
Is the cash price lower than using insurance?
Sometimes. If you are uninsured or have a high deductible, the cash/self-pay price can be lower than the insurer-negotiated rate — ask the hospital for both.

Related Endoscopy

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