Chest tube insertion Cost (2026) — Compare Hospital Prices

Chest tube insertion is a hospital service. Prices are from 2075 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.

$1,362median cash price · 2075 hospitals, 52 statestypically $443–$3,580 depending on the hospital

≈ 9.5× Medicare · High vs MedicareFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)

$2,312

Cash / self-pay

$1,362

Insurer-negotiated

$1,581

Medicare pays

$143

$443$3,580

Median cash $1,362 · Medicare $143 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)

Is this a fair price?

1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $1,362 — about 9.5× the Medicare rate ($143). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($286).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,312 list price could save about $950 (41%).

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.

Lowest cash prices

See negotiated rates for your insurer:

Hospital	Location	Cash	Insurer	CMS rating	ER wait	Readmit
St Clair Hospital	Pittsburgh, PA	$205	$3,431	★ 4/5	195 min	15.5%
Jackson County Regional Health Center	Maquoketa, IA	$208	$395	—	80 min	15.1%
Children's Mercy South	Overland Park, KS	$228	$348	—	—	—
The Children's Mercy Hospital	Kansas City, MO	$228	$348	—	—	—
Clinton Regional Hospital	Clinton, OK	$228	$834	—	108 min	15.5%
CHI St Luke's Health Brazosport	Lake Jackson, TX	$231	$1,603	★ 4/5	155 min	15.1%
Lawrence Memorial Hospital	Walnut Ridge, AR	$231	$224	—	93 min	15.0%
Ellis Hospital	Schenectady, NY	$235	$182	★ 3/5	232 min	14.9%
St Luke Community Hospital	Ronan, MT	$236	$395	—	110 min	15.1%
North Texas Medical Center	Gainesville, TX	$240	$1,526	★ 4/5	121 min	14.9%
St Charles Parish Hospital	Luling, LA	$241	$1,002	—	117 min	15.2%
Jefferson Community Health & Life	Fairbury, NE	$242	$178	—	97 min	14.5%
University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston	Galveston, TX	$246	$1,461	★ 3/5	191 min	16.0%
East Morgan County Hospital	Brush, CO	$248	$275	—	111 min	14.8%
Miller County Hospital	Colquitt, GA	$252	$383	—	80 min	15.1%
Lindsay Municipal Hospital	Lindsay, OK	$255	$136	—	—	—
Faulkton Area Medical Center	Faulkton, SD	$266	$237	—	118 min	15.0%
Ogallala Community Hospital	Ogallala, NE	$268	$317	—	98 min	15.3%
Ozark Health	Clinton, AR	$271	$288	★ 4/5	150 min	14.7%
Memorial Healthcare	Owosso, MI	$272	$1,568	★ 3/5	189 min	14.9%
Ortonville Area Health Services	Ortonville, MN	$272	$277	—	116 min	15.1%
Cottage Hospital	Woodsville, NH	$274	$1,019	★ 4/5	118 min	14.8%
George E Weems Memorial Hospital	Apalachicola, FL	$274	$258	—	—	—
Copley Hospital	Morrisville, VT	$278	$153	★ 2/5	136 min	14.9%
Hospital General De Castaner	Castaner, PR	$285	$163	—	—	—

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 July 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 Chest tube insertion

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: $1,362; Medicare pays $143.

Insurer	Hospitals	Negotiated median
Medicaid	312	$68 $13 – $656
Medicare	467	$97 $20 – $1,699
Univera	14	$155 $124 – $164
Independent Health	35	$159 $89 – $1,758
Highmark	124	$328 $52 – $4,336
Tricare / VA	335	$432 $68 – $2,015
AmeriHealth	185	$549 $140 – $3,285
Harvard Pilgrim	41	$572 $172 – $3,541
Amerigroup	137	$685 $122 – $2,182
MVP Health Care	77	$692 $136 – $3,861
Priority Health	51	$704 $117 – $2,498
Centene / Ambetter	691	$850 $65 – $2,527
Molina Healthcare	511	$862 $70 – $2,702
Sanford Health Plan	75	$930 $153 – $2,207
Blue Cross Blue Shield	1171	$971 $65 – $4,764
Anthem	502	$982 $64 – $5,662
Medica	201	$1,039 $275 – $2,528
Bright Health	53	$1,187 $870 – $2,685
HealthPartners	222	$1,197 $106 – $3,311
AvMed	56	$1,238 $656 – $19,079
UCare	79	$1,239 $143 – $2,749
Geisinger	69	$1,242 $193 – $4,757
Healthcare Highways	48	$1,278 $728 – $2,251
Workers' Comp / No-Fault	125	$1,290 $304 – $2,983
UnitedHealthcare	1348	$1,440 $146 – $3,407
Humana	918	$1,441 $104 – $2,569
Coventry	134	$1,498 $186 – $3,275
Devoted Health	144	$1,504 $250 – $1,808
Security Health Plan	64	$1,509 $315 – $2,815
Health Net	278	$1,511 $67 – $5,062
Kaiser Permanente	212	$1,523 $68 – $4,451
UPMC Health Plan	90	$1,533 $173 – $4,288
SelectHealth	46	$1,555 $311 – $4,882
Aetna	1240	$1,562 $168 – $4,335
MultiPlan / PHCS network	756	$1,799 $391 – $3,760
Cigna	1068	$2,040 $331 – $6,487
EmblemHealth	63	$2,400 $550 – $12,590
Oscar Health	192	$2,579 $278 – $3,505

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
Puerto Rico	$300
New Hampshire	$462
Maryland	$466
Mississippi	$498
Tennessee	$510
Arkansas	$632

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
Dennis Oyieng'o, M.D.	Pulmonary Disease	Wichita, KS	50
Kent Brusett, M.D.	Thoracic Surgery	Redding, CA	45
Carmi Stadlan, MD	Cardiac Surgery	Atlantis, FL	42
Youssef Yammine, MD	Pulmonary Disease	Wichita, KS	41
Mark Genovesi, M.D.	Cardiac Surgery	Brooklyn, NY	33
Bryan Steinberg, M.D.	Thoracic Surgery	Rockville, MD	33
Abdel-Ghanie Abu-Samra, M.D	Pulmonary Disease	Wichita, KS	33
Deepak Patel, MD	Pulmonary Disease	Sebring, FL	32
Ming-Tyh Maa, M.D.	Pulmonary Disease	Walnut Creek, CA	31
Peter Scalia, M.D.	Thoracic Surgery	Wall, NJ	30
Joshua Melamed, MD	General Surgery	Lynbrook, NY	25
Christian Galvez-Padilla, M.D.	General Surgery	Pittsfield, MA	25

Browse doctors by specialty & city →

Does Medicare cover Chest tube insertion?

Yes — Medicare generally covers Chest tube insertion. It is typically an inpatient service, so Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) pays the hospital a bundled rate — Medicare’s benchmark payment is about $143. Your own cost is mainly the Part A hospital deductible for the benefit period (a flat amount, not a percentage), plus any physician (Part B) charges. A Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan can change what you owe.

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 2075 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $1,362, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $2,312, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $1,581, a Medicare rate of about $143. Most cash prices fall between $443 and $3,580 — 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 Chest tube insertion cost without insurance?

The median cash (self-pay) price across 2075 US hospitals is $1,362. Most hospitals fall between $443 and $3,580. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.

Does Medicare cover Chest tube insertion?

Yes — it is generally covered under Medicare Part A as an inpatient service (Medicare's benchmark payment is about $143). You pay the Part A hospital deductible for the benefit period, plus any Part B physician charges.

What does Medicare pay for Chest tube insertion?

Medicare pays about $143. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.

Why do Chest tube insertion 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.

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