Abscess drainage (simple) is a surgical procedure. Prices are from 2366 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $338 — about 2.6× the Medicare rate ($129). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($257).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $575 list price could save about $237 (41%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Gabriels Hospital | Little Falls, MN | $53 | $183 | ★ 4/5 | 141 min | — |
| North Central Surgical Center Llp | Dallas, TX | $53 | $4,501 | — | 108 min | — |
| Saint Vincent Hospital | Erie, PA | $54 | $113 | ★ 4/5 | 219 min | — |
| Baptist Memorial Hospital Union City | Union City, TN | $55 | $327 | ★ 4/5 | 139 min | — |
| North Canyon Medical Center | Gooding, ID | $56 | $154 | — | 116 min | — |
| Jefferson Hospital | Louisville, GA | $57 | $113 | — | 99 min | — |
| Jefferson Hospital | Jefferson Hills, PA | $57 | $113 | ★ 4/5 | 170 min | — |
| Little Falls Hospital | Little Falls, NY | $60 | $71 | ★ 2/5 | 109 min | — |
| Minden Medical Center | Minden, LA | $60 | $199 | ★ 2/5 | 121 min | — |
| Benson Hospital | Benson, AZ | $60 | $104 | — | 155 min | — |
| Fauquier Hospital | Warrenton, VA | $61 | $2,117 | ★ 3/5 | 162 min | — |
| Bsa Hospital | Amarillo, TX | $61 | $430 | ★ 2/5 | 215 min | — |
| Driscoll Childrens Hospital | Corpus Christi, TX | $63 | $583 | — | — | — |
| Driscoll Children's Hospital Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg, TX | $63 | $583 | — | — | — |
| Coosa Valley Medical Center | Sylacauga, AL | $63 | $179 | ★ 3/5 | 124 min | — |
| Unity Health-Jacksonville | Jacksonville, AR | $63 | — | — | 130 min | — |
| Unity Health-Newport | Newport, AR | $63 | — | — | 103 min | — |
| Ogallala Community Hospital | Ogallala, NE | $64 | $116 | — | 106 min | — |
| Aurelia Osborn Fox Memorial Hospital | Oneonta, NY | $65 | $252 | ★ 3/5 | 132 min | — |
| O'connor Hospital | Delhi, NY | $65 | $86 | — | 95 min | — |
| Cobleskill Regional Hospital | Cobleskill, NY | $65 | $82 | ★ 4/5 | 111 min | — |
| Canonsburg General Hospital | Canonsburg, PA | $66 | $113 | ★ 3/5 | 155 min | — |
| Forbes Hospital | Monroeville, PA | $66 | $113 | ★ 3/5 | 261 min | — |
| Louis a Weiss Memorial Hospital | Chicago, IL | $67 | $207 | ★ 1/5 | 210 min | — |
| Montrose Behavioral Health Hospital | Chicago, IL | $67 | $207 | — | — | — |
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.
What insurers pay for Abscess drainage (simple)
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: $338; Medicare pays $129.
| Insurer | Hospitals | Negotiated median |
|---|---|---|
| Medicaid | 365 |
$25 – $285 |
| Univera | 15 |
$9 – $135 |
| Medicare | 569 |
$46 – $258 |
| Amerigroup | 169 |
$65 – $377 |
| Highmark | 140 |
$46 – $596 |
| Geisinger | 77 |
$31 – $861 |
| Independent Health | 30 |
$95 – $361 |
| Priority Health | 58 |
$104 – $463 |
| Tricare / VA | 405 |
$52 – $367 |
| Molina Healthcare | 583 |
$53 – $627 |
| AmeriHealth | 234 |
$25 – $757 |
| Devoted Health | 170 |
$129 – $237 |
| Centene / Ambetter | 827 |
$47 – $948 |
| UPMC Health Plan | 112 |
$31 – $548 |
| Humana | 1070 |
$81 – $1,566 |
| UCare | 84 |
$87 – $455 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 1344 |
$51 – $850 |
| Anthem | 583 |
$51 – $2,763 |
| Kaiser Permanente | 234 |
$56 – $746 |
| Harvard Pilgrim | 45 |
$134 – $493 |
| HealthPartners | 256 |
$82 – $547 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 1583 |
$90 – $1,921 |
| MVP Health Care | 73 |
$104 – $936 |
| Workers' Comp / No-Fault | 132 |
$59 – $488 |
| Medica | 240 |
$111 – $812 |
| Sanford Health Plan | 84 |
$102 – $586 |
| Aetna | 1460 |
$99 – $2,789 |
| Coventry | 151 |
$113 – $923 |
| Health Net | 302 |
$61 – $923 |
| SelectHealth | 46 |
$183 – $4,882 |
| Security Health Plan | 65 |
$104 – $551 |
| Cigna | 1159 |
$117 – $5,600 |
| MultiPlan / PHCS network | 822 |
$173 – $948 |
| EmblemHealth | 76 |
$169 – $3,362 |
| AvMed | 65 |
$230 – $8,253 |
| Bright Health | 57 |
$275 – $2,453 |
| Healthcare Highways | 47 |
$220 – $14,320 |
| Oscar Health | 242 |
$168 – $3,007 |
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
| State | Median cash |
|---|---|
| Mississippi | $139 |
| Vermont | $186 |
| Louisiana | $190 |
| New Hampshire | $191 |
| Michigan | $199 |
| Utah | $215 |
Prices by city
Prices by state
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.
| Clinician | Specialty | Location | Medicare services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joon Suk Hwang, DPM | Podiatry | Charlottesville, VA | 1,226 |
| Robert Hatanaka, DPM | Podiatry | Glendale, CA | 889 |
| Michael Proctor, DO | Dermatology | Bullhead City, AZ | 818 |
| Julia Bondarenko, DPM | Podiatry | Brooklyn, NY | 764 |
| James Nickolopoulos, DPM | Podiatry | San Francisco, CA | 762 |
| Todd Zang, D.P.M. | Podiatry | Las Vegas, NV | 753 |
| Artur Henke, MD | Dermatology | Roseville, CA | 713 |
| Julie Russcher, D.P.M. | Podiatry | Lompoc, CA | 644 |
| Romain Onteniente, DPM | Podiatry | Venice, FL | 637 |
| Bruce Meyers, DPM | Podiatry | Rochester, MI | 617 |
| Anselmo Mendive, MD | Family Practice | Miami Gardens, FL | 607 |
| Simon Becker, DPM | Podiatry | West Orange, NJ | 522 |
Does Medicare cover Abscess drainage (simple)?
Yes — Medicare generally covers Abscess drainage (simple). It is typically an outpatient service under Medicare Part B, with a Medicare-approved amount of about $129. After your annual Part B deductible, you typically owe the 20% coinsurance — roughly $26 — 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 2366 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $338, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $575, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $257, a Medicare rate of about $129. Most cash prices fall between $136 and $878 — 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 Abscess drainage (simple) cost without insurance?
Does Medicare cover Abscess drainage (simple)?
What does Medicare pay for Abscess drainage (simple)?
Why do Abscess drainage (simple) prices vary between hospitals?
Is the cash price lower than using insurance?
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