Prices at 3 hospitals in Augusta, GA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,087 — 12% below the US median ($1,239), roughly 3.5× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont Augusta Hospital | Augusta, GA | $1,087 | $1,595 | ★ 2/5 | 204 min | — |
| Augusta VA Medical Center | Augusta, GA | $1,087 | $1,595 | ★ 4/5 | — | — |
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 $1,087 — about 3.5× the Medicare rate ($311). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($622).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $3,625 list price could save about $2,537 (70%).
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 Augusta
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manish Govin, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 53 |
| Eugene Marnell, M.D. | Interventional Radiology | Augusta, GA | 24 |
| William Blair, DO | Interventional Radiology | Augusta, GA | 20 |
| Yuri Kang, DNP-FNP | Nurse Practitioner | Augusta, GA | 14 |
All Chest fluid drain (thoracentesis) prices in Georgia → · All Chest fluid drain (thoracentesis) prices (national) · All hospitals in Augusta