Prices at 26 hospitals in Alabama, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $999 — 22% below the US median ($1,278), roughly 3.5× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanner Medical Center-East Alabama | Wedowee, AL | $296 | $905 | — | 96 min | — |
| Coosa Valley Medical Center | Sylacauga, AL | $350 | $822 | ★ 3/5 | 124 min | — |
| Usa Health HCA Providence Hospital, Llc | Mobile, AL | $620 | $335 | ★ 3/5 | 212 min | — |
| Riverview Regional Medical Center | Gadsden, AL | $809 | $809 | ★ 3/5 | 155 min | — |
| Marion Regional Medical Center | Hamilton, AL | $816 | $1,505 | ★ 3/5 | 104 min | — |
| Springhill Medical Center | Mobile, AL | $842 | — | ★ 3/5 | 147 min | — |
| The East Alabama Healthcare Authority | Opelika, AL | $944 | $1,373 | ★ 3/5 | 200 min | — |
| Eamc-Lanier | Valley, AL | $944 | $1,373 | — | — | — |
| Southeast Health Medical Center | Dothan, AL | $948 | $869 | ★ 4/5 | 212 min | — |
| Ochsner Choctaw General | Butler, AL | $1,049 | $759 | — | 119 min | — |
| Northwest Medical Center | Winfield, AL | $1,101 | $1,420 | ★ 4/5 | 130 min | — |
| Usa Health University Hospital | Mobile, AL | $1,177 | $672 | ★ 2/5 | 211 min | — |
| Usa Health Children's & Women's Hospital | Mobile, AL | $1,177 | $672 | — | — | — |
| Cullman Regional Medical Center | Cullman, AL | $1,208 | $857 | ★ 2/5 | 152 min | — |
| Grove Hill Memorial Hospital | Grove Hill, AL | $1,481 | $837 | — | 166 min | — |
| The Children's Hospital of Alabama | Birmingham, AL | $1,555 | $3,002 | — | — | — |
| Red Bay Hospital | Red Bay, AL | $1,836 | $1,139 | — | 131 min | — |
| Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center | Anniston, AL | $2,400 | $841 | ★ 1/5 | 244 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 $999 — about 3.5× the Medicare rate ($284). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($568).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $1,716 list price could save about $717 (42%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
By city
Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis) cost in other states
All Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis) prices (national) → · All hospitals in Alabama →