Prices at 4 hospitals in Memphis, TN, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $496 — 60% below the US median ($1,252), roughly 1.6× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baptist Memorial Hospital | Memphis, TN | $417 | $855 | ★ 3/5 | 174 min | 15.4% |
| Methodist Hospitals of Memphis | Memphis, TN | $496 | $566 | ★ 3/5 | 237 min | 15.3% |
| Regional One Health | Memphis, TN | $722 | $524 | ★ 1/5 | 290 min | 16.2% |
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 July 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 $496 — about 1.6× the Medicare rate ($311). Reasonable. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($622).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,225 list price could save about $1,729 (78%).
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 Memphis
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Flinn, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Memphis, TN | 101 |
| David Jones, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Memphis, TN | 87 |
| Daniel Becker, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Memphis, TN | 72 |
All Chest fluid drain (thoracentesis) prices in Tennessee → · All Chest fluid drain (thoracentesis) prices (national) · All hospitals in Memphis