Prices at 3 hospitals in Winston-salem, NC, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,942 — 52% above the US median ($1,278), roughly 6.8× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center | Winston-salem, NC | $1,698 | $915 | ★ 4/5 | 206 min | — |
| North Carolina Baptist Hospital | Winston-salem, NC | $2,186 | $1,447 | ★ 4/5 | 183 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 $1,942 — about 6.8× 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 $3,601 list price could save about $1,659 (46%).
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 Winston-salem
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeffrey Martin, PA | Physician Assistant | Winston Salem, NC | 62 |
| Thomas Sullivan, M.D. | Interventional Radiology | Winston Salem, NC | 58 |
| Ian Smith, PA-C | Physician Assistant | Winston Salem, NC | 48 |
| Mathew Williams, PA-C | Physician Assistant | Winston Salem, NC | 43 |
| Catherine Legrande, PA-C | Physician Assistant | Winston Salem, NC | 41 |
| John Warren, PA | Physician Assistant | Winston Salem, NC | 39 |
| Michael Love, P.A.-C | Physician Assistant | Winston Salem, NC | 38 |
| Erica Emmons, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Winston Salem, NC | 13 |
| Wendy Rash, NP-C | Nurse Practitioner | Winston Salem, NC | 12 |
All Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis) prices in North Carolina → · All Abdominal fluid drain (paracentesis) prices (national) · All hospitals in Winston-salem