Prices at 4 hospitals in Aurora, CO, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,561 — 26% above the US median ($1,239), roughly 5.0× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado Hospital Authority | Aurora, CO | $1,545 | $1,765 | ★ 5/5 | 102 min | — |
| VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System | Aurora, CO | $1,561 | $1,554 | ★ 5/5 | — | — |
| Children's Hospital Colorado | Aurora, CO | $1,561 | $1,554 | — | — | — |
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 $1,561 — about 5.0× the Medicare rate ($311). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($622).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,401 list price could save about $840 (35%).
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 Aurora
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Kramer, M.D. | Hospitalist | Aurora, CO | 28 |
| Christopher King, M.D. | Hospitalist | Aurora, CO | 22 |
| Andrea King | Physician Assistant | Aurora, CO | 21 |
| Kelsey Rutt, NP | Nurse Practitioner | Aurora, CO | 21 |
| Alix Armstrong, PA-C | Physician Assistant | Aurora, CO | 20 |
| Eric Martin, M.D. | Hospitalist | Aurora, CO | 19 |
| Mark Duncan, MD | Hospitalist | Aurora, CO | 17 |
| Elri Duncan, PA-C | Physician Assistant | Aurora, CO | 16 |
| Philip Vatterott, MD | Hospitalist | Aurora, CO | 15 |
| Jennifer Drury, PA-C | Physician Assistant | Aurora, CO | 15 |
| Carolina Ortiz-Lopez, MD | Hospitalist | Aurora, CO | 14 |
| Francis Kang, M.D. | Interventional Radiology | Aurora, CO | 12 |
All Chest fluid drain (thoracentesis) prices in Colorado → · All Chest fluid drain (thoracentesis) prices (national) · All hospitals in Aurora