Chest fluid drain (thoracentesis) cost in Augusta, GA

Prices at 3 hospitals in Augusta, GA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,087 — 13% below the US median ($1,250), roughly 3.5× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Piedmont Augusta Hospital Augusta, GA $1,087 $1,595 ★ 2/5 212 min 15.0%
Augusta VA Medical Center Augusta, GA $1,087 $1,595 ★ 4/5 15.1%

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)

Chargemaster (list price)
$3,625
Cash / self-pay
$1,087
Insurer-negotiated
$1,595
Medicare pays
$311
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $1,087 — about 3.5× the Medicare rate ($311). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($622).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $3,625 list price could save about $2,537 (70%).

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.

All Chest fluid drain (thoracentesis) prices in Georgia → · All Chest fluid drain (thoracentesis) prices (national) · All hospitals in Augusta