Prices at 3 hospitals in Bakersfield, CA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $680 — 47% below the US median ($1,278), roughly 2.4× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kern Medical Center | Bakersfield, CA | $249 | $340 | ★ 1/5 | 306 min | — |
| Bakersfield Memorial Hospital | Bakersfield, CA | $680 | $1,191 | ★ 3/5 | 240 min | — |
| Mercy Hospital | Bakersfield, CA | $899 | $1,444 | ★ 3/5 | 193 min | — |
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 October 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.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $680 — about 2.4× the Medicare rate ($284). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($568).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $1,833 list price could save about $1,153 (63%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Doctors who perform this in Bakersfield
Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service locally. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.
| Clinician | Specialty | Location | Medicare services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trent Phan, D.O. | Diagnostic Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 36 |
| John Roefs, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 30 |
| Russell Paul, MD | Interventional Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 24 |
All Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis) prices in California → · All Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis) prices (national) · All hospitals in Bakersfield