Abscess drainage (simple) Cost by Hospital

Abscess drainage (simple) is a surgical procedure. Prices are from 2366 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.

$338median cash price · 2366 hospitals, 52 statestypically $136–$878 depending on the hospital
≈ 2.6× Medicare · On the higher sideFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)
$575
Cash / self-pay
$338
Insurer-negotiated
$257
Medicare pays
$129
$136$878
Median cash $338  ·  Medicare $129  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

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%).

Estimate what you’ll pay
Quick fill:

Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
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.

InsurerHospitalsNegotiated median
Medicaid 365
$41
$25 – $285
Univera 15
$88
$9 – $135
Medicare 569
$96
$46 – $258
Amerigroup 169
$106
$65 – $377
Highmark 140
$169
$46 – $596
Geisinger 77
$176
$31 – $861
Independent Health 30
$180
$95 – $361
Priority Health 58
$182
$104 – $463
Tricare / VA 405
$182
$52 – $367
Molina Healthcare 583
$187
$53 – $627
AmeriHealth 234
$191
$25 – $757
Devoted Health 170
$193
$129 – $237
Centene / Ambetter 827
$194
$47 – $948
UPMC Health Plan 112
$195
$31 – $548
Humana 1070
$201
$81 – $1,566
UCare 84
$203
$87 – $455
Blue Cross Blue Shield 1344
$224
$51 – $850
Anthem 583
$234
$51 – $2,763
Kaiser Permanente 234
$240
$56 – $746
Harvard Pilgrim 45
$246
$134 – $493
HealthPartners 256
$248
$82 – $547
UnitedHealthcare 1583
$252
$90 – $1,921
MVP Health Care 73
$270
$104 – $936
Workers' Comp / No-Fault 132
$282
$59 – $488
Medica 240
$286
$111 – $812
Sanford Health Plan 84
$292
$102 – $586
Aetna 1460
$306
$99 – $2,789
Coventry 151
$315
$113 – $923
Health Net 302
$321
$61 – $923
SelectHealth 46
$325
$183 – $4,882
Security Health Plan 65
$326
$104 – $551
Cigna 1159
$379
$117 – $5,600
MultiPlan / PHCS network 822
$444
$173 – $948
EmblemHealth 76
$485
$169 – $3,362
AvMed 65
$496
$230 – $8,253
Bright Health 57
$827
$275 – $2,453
Healthcare Highways 47
$2,069
$220 – $14,320
Oscar Health 242
$2,133
$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

StateMedian 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.

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?
The median cash (self-pay) price across 2366 US hospitals is $338. Most hospitals fall between $136 and $878. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.
Does Medicare cover Abscess drainage (simple)?
Yes — it is generally covered under Medicare Part B as an outpatient service (Medicare-approved amount about $129). After your Part B deductible you typically owe 20% coinsurance, unless a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan covers it.
What does Medicare pay for Abscess drainage (simple)?
Medicare pays about $129. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.
Why do Abscess drainage (simple) prices vary between hospitals?
Hospitals set their own chargemaster and cash prices and negotiate different rates with each insurer, so two hospitals in the same area can charge very differently for the same service.
Is the cash price lower than using insurance?
Sometimes. If you are uninsured or have a high deductible, the cash/self-pay price can be lower than the insurer-negotiated rate — ask the hospital for both.

Related Surgery & Procedures

See more Surgery & Procedures.