Prices at 4 hospitals in Tacoma, WA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $916 — 28% below the US median ($1,278), roughly 3.2× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Joseph Medical Center | Tacoma, WA | $792 | $1,916 | ★ 3/5 | 212 min | 14.2% |
| Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital | Tacoma, WA | $916 | $1,672 | ★ 2/5 | 210 min | 15.1% |
| Mary Bridge Children's Hospital | Tacoma, WA | $1,009 | $1,860 | — | — | — |
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 June 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 $916 — about 3.2× 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 $2,390 list price could save about $1,474 (62%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
All Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis) prices in Washington → · All Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis) prices (national) · All hospitals in Tacoma