Thoracentesis pleural space needle/catheter aspiration with imaging guidance (both sides) at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center
350 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ · CommonSpirit Health · · NPI 1982733655
$2,591.49
Cash price Discounted cash price What a hospital charges a self-pay patient who pays directly, without going through insurance — usually well below the gross charge. Example: A CT scan has a $3,200 gross charge but an $850 discounted cash price. Ask for it by name when scheduling — hospitals don't always advertise it up front.
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What you pay up front if you don't use insurance.
$6,784.00
Gross charge Gross charge (chargemaster price) The hospital's full, undiscounted list price — pulled from its internal "chargemaster" price list. Almost no one actually pays this. Example: A chest X-ray has a gross charge of $1,450. The same hospital's discounted cash price for the same X-ray is $180 — the gross charge mostly anchors negotiations, not what patients pay.
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The hospital's undiscounted list price — almost no one pays this.
$112.65 with Health Choice vs $3,499.51 with BCBS - AZ — same scan, same building. Share
Negotiated rates by payer
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Negotiated rate
The price a specific insurance plan agreed to pay the hospital for a service — it varies by insurer, and even by plan within the same insurer.
Example: The same knee MRI has a negotiated rate of $904 with one insurer's PPO plan and $1,509 with another's — identical hospital, identical scan.
Full explanation →
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Negotiated rate
The price a specific insurance plan agreed to pay the hospital for a service — it varies by insurer, and even by plan within the same insurer.
Example: The same knee MRI has a negotiated rate of $904 with one insurer's PPO plan and $1,509 with another's — identical hospital, identical scan.
Full explanation →Payer ?Payer The insurance company footing the bill — Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Medicare, and so on. Example: "Blue Cross Blue Shield" is the payer. Its negotiated rate for an MRI might be $904, while a different payer's negotiated rate for the same scan is $1,509. Full explanation → |
Plan ?Plan The specific product an insurer sells — e.g. "Blue Cross PPO 500" — which sets your deductible, coinsurance and negotiated rates. Example: Two people both insured by Aetna can owe very different amounts for the same MRI: $50 with an HMO plan's flat copay, or the full $1,200 toward a high-deductible PPO plan's unmet deductible. Full explanation → |
Negotiated rate | vs. cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Choice | Medicaid|All Plans | $112.65 | ↓ -96% |
| United | Medicaid|All Plans | $112.65 | ↓ -96% |
| United | Commercial|DignityHealthEmployee | $625.67 | ↓ -76% |
| United | Medicare|Dual Complete | $643.04 | ↓ -75% |
| Aetna | Medicare|All Plans | $658.95 | ↓ -75% |
| Mercy Care Plan | Medicare|All Plans | $658.95 | ↓ -75% |
| BCBS - AZ | Medicare|All Plans | $658.95 | ↓ -75% |
| First Health | Medicare|All Plans | $658.95 | ↓ -75% |
| Humana | Medicare|All Plans | $658.95 | ↓ -75% |
| Optum | Medicare|OptumCare | $658.95 | ↓ -75% |
| Care 1st | Medicare|All Plans | $658.95 | ↓ -75% |
| Mercy Care Plan | Medicaid|All Plans | $658.95 | ↓ -75% |
| Health Choice | Medicare|All Plans | $658.95 | ↓ -75% |
| Cigna | Medicare|All Plans | $658.95 | ↓ -75% |
| United | Medicare|All Other Plans | $658.95 | ↓ -75% |
| Devoted Health | Medicare|All Plans | $678.72 | ↓ -74% |
| Optum | Medicare|OptumHealth | $724.85 | ↓ -72% |
| Optum | Commercial|OptumHealth | $1,547.71 | ↓ -40% |
| BCBS - AZ | Commercial|Neighborhood | $1,770.91 | ↓ -32% |
| BCBS - AZ | Commercial|MaricopaFocus | $1,770.91 | ↓ -32% |
| Cigna | Commercial|LifeSource | $1,811.15 | ↓ -30% |
| Other | Commercial|NTN | $1,975.80 | ↓ -24% |
| Cigna | Commercial|Exchange | $2,119.00 | ↓ -18% |
| LifeTrac | Commercial|All Plans | $2,140.45 | ↓ -17% |
| Cigna | Commercial|LocalPlus SureFit | $2,269.00 | ↓ -12% |
| First Health | Commercial|All Plans | $2,305.10 | ↓ -11% |
| Health Net | Commercial|Interlink | $2,305.10 | ↓ -11% |
| BCBS - AZ | Commercial|All Other Plans | $2,361.22 | ↓ -9% |
| MultiPlan | Commercial|All Plans | $2,601.47 | ↑ +0% |
| Cigna | Commercial|All Other Plans | $2,985.00 | ↑ +15% |
| BCBS - AZ | Commercial|Workers Comp | $3,499.51 | ↑ +35% |
Visitor-reported prices
Comments
Thoracentesis pleural space needle/catheter aspiration with imaging guidance (both sides) at other Arizona hospitals
| Hospital | City | Cash price | Negotiated range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banner University Medical Center Phoenix | Phoenix | $1,034.68 | $392.67 – $4,018.00 |
| Banner Estrella Medical Center | Phoenix | $1,309.22 | $392.67 – $4,018.00 |
| Arizona General Hospital Laveen | Phoenix | not published | $112.65 – $678.72 |
| Banner University Medical Center Tucson | Tucson | $979.13 | $353.40 – $2,082.06 |
| Banner University Medical Center South | Tucson | $1,397.08 | $353.40 – $3,036.00 |
| Banner Baywood Medical Center | Mesa | $923.50 | $392.67 – $4,018.00 |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center | Sun City | $858.53 | $392.67 – $4,018.00 |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center | Casa Grande | $937.09 | $392.67 – $2,746.00 |