Prices at 4 hospitals in Denver, CO, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $913 — 26% below the US median ($1,239), roughly 2.9× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Health & Hospital Authority | Denver, CO | $486 | $870 | ★ 3/5 | 208 min | — |
| National Jewish Health | Denver, CO | $1,340 | $1,388 | — | — | — |
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 $913 — about 2.9× 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 $1,652 list price could save about $739 (45%).
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 Denver
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kristen Glisinski, M.D. | Pulmonary Disease | Denver, CO | 23 |
| Majd Kobitary, M.D.,F.C.C.P. | Pulmonary Disease | Denver, CO | 16 |
| Mark Laudermilk, PA | Physician Assistant | Denver, CO | 13 |
All Chest fluid drain (thoracentesis) prices in Colorado → · All Chest fluid drain (thoracentesis) prices (national) · All hospitals in Denver