Prices at 3 hospitals in Bakersfield, CA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $881 — 29% below the US median ($1,239), roughly 2.8× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kern Medical Center | Bakersfield, CA | $285 | $364 | ★ 1/5 | 306 min | — |
| Mercy Hospital | Bakersfield, CA | $881 | $894 | ★ 3/5 | 193 min | — |
| Bakersfield Memorial Hospital | Bakersfield, CA | $1,099 | $864 | ★ 3/5 | 240 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 $881 — about 2.8× 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 $2,963 list price could save about $2,082 (70%).
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 | 70 |
| Russell Paul, MD | Interventional Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 58 |
| John Roefs, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 41 |
All Chest fluid drain (thoracentesis) prices in California → · All Chest fluid drain (thoracentesis) prices (national) · All hospitals in Bakersfield