Thoracentesis pleural space needle/catheter aspiration with imaging guidance (both sides) at HCA HOUSTON KINGWOOD

5324 ATASCOCITA RD, HUMBLE, TX · HCA Houston Healthcare · · NPI 1811942238

Source: hospital's published price file ↗ · Published May 14, 2026 · Ingested Sep 10, 2026

$16,757.81

Cash price

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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.

$16,757.81

Gross charge

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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.

$219.28 with Texas Health Network vs $15,082.03 with Affiliated PPO — 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 →

Payer
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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
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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
Texas Health Network MCD $219.28 ↓ -99%
Amerigroup MGMCD $234.94 ↓ -99%
United MGMCD $240.10 ↓ -99%
Molina Healthcare CHIP $246.13 ↓ -99%
Molina Healthcare STARPLUS $246.13 ↓ -99%
Molina Healthcare STAR $246.13 ↓ -99%
Molina Healthcare STARKIDS $246.13 ↓ -99%
Community Health Choice MCD CHIPPerinatal $250.60 ↓ -99%
Community Health Choice MCD CHIP $250.60 ↓ -99%
Community Health Choice MCD STAR $250.60 ↓ -99%
Community Health Choice MCD STAR+PLUS $250.60 ↓ -99%
Humana MCD $279.69 ↓ -98%
Aetna Better Health MGMCD $282.47 ↓ -98%
Texas Athletic Network Premier $300.00 ↓ -98%
Texas Athletic Network PremierPlus $500.00 ↓ -97%
Texas Athletic Network TexasCustomUC $600.00 ↓ -96%
WellMed MGMCR $633.31 ↓ -96%
Superior Health Plan CHIP $948.00 ↓ -94%
Superior Health Plan STARPLUS $948.00 ↓ -94%
Superior Health Plan STARKids $948.00 ↓ -94%
Superior Health Plan STAR $948.00 ↓ -94%
Superior Health Plan CHPFC $948.00 ↓ -94%
BCBS MyBlueHealth $1,122.31 ↓ -93%
BCBS BAV $1,235.80 ↓ -93%
BCBS HMO $1,305.16 ↓ -92%
BCBS EPOSOA $1,418.65 ↓ -92%
Aetna QHPExchange $1,430.00 ↓ -91%
BCBS PPO $1,525.83 ↓ -91%
United SmallGroup $1,534.00 ↓ -91%
United NarrowNetworkIndivExchange $1,732.00 ↓ -90%
Aetna NBPOS $1,899.00 ↓ -89%
Aetna NBHMO $1,899.00 ↓ -89%
Curative Administrators COMM $2,012.00 ↓ -88%
Aetna COMMPOS $2,017.00 ↓ -88%
Aetna COMMHMO $2,017.00 ↓ -88%
Fidelis SecureCare of TX MGMCR $2,115.00 ↓ -87%
Oscar HIX $2,128.00 ↓ -87%
Aetna NBPPO $2,181.00 ↓ -87%
United AllPayerAppendix $2,191.00 ↓ -87%
Healthcare Highways NarrowNetwork $2,251.00 ↓ -87%
Cigna CSN $2,284.00 ↓ -86%
Evry Health BroadNetwork $2,315.00 ↓ -86%
Aetna COMMPPO $2,317.00 ↓ -86%
Amerigroup MCDCHIPBH $2,346.09 ↓ -86%
Aetna OONHMO $2,374.00 ↓ -86%
Aetna OONPOS $2,374.00 ↓ -86%
Cigna OpenAccessPlus $2,474.00 ↓ -85%
Aetna ASAPOS $2,564.00 ↓ -85%
Aetna ASAHMO $2,564.00 ↓ -85%
Aetna OONPPO $2,727.00 ↓ -84%
Texas Childrens Health Plans CHIP $2,781.80 ↓ -83%
United OptionsPPO $2,815.31 ↓ -83%
Cigna PPO $2,942.00 ↓ -82%
Aetna ASAPPO $2,947.00 ↓ -82%
Texas Childrens Health Plans STARKIDS $3,971.60 ↓ -76%
Texas Childrens Health Plans STAR $3,971.60 ↓ -76%
Kelsey Care (Boon-Chapman) COMM $4,255.00 ↓ -75%
Humana PPO $4,690.00 ↓ -72%
Humana HMO $4,690.00 ↓ -72%
BCBS Traditional $5,865.23 ↓ -65%
Christus (USFHP) TRICARE $6,703.12 ↓ -60%
HealthSmart Preferred Care ACCEL $7,205.86 ↓ -57%
United GlobalAppendix $7,541.01 ↓ -55%
Coventry National First Health COMM $8,931.91 ↓ -47%
Rockport Workers Comp COMM $9,216.80 ↓ -45%
Physicians Cooperative of Texas WC $9,216.80 ↓ -45%
National Healthcare Solutions COMM $10,054.69 ↓ -40%
SouthWest Medical WORKERSCOMP $10,054.69 ↓ -40%
Independent Medical System COMM $10,054.69 ↓ -40%
Coastal Comp COMM $10,892.58 ↓ -35%
Multiplan PHCSPrimaryNetwork $12,568.36 ↓ -25%
HealthSmart Preferred Care PPO $13,741.40 ↓ -18%
HealthSmart Preferred Care ACCOUNTABLEPPO $14,244.14 ↓ -15%
Multiplan ComplementaryNetwork $14,244.14 ↓ -15%
USA Managed Care COMM $14,244.14 ↓ -15%
Physicians, INC COMM $14,244.14 ↓ -15%
Affiliated PPO COMM $15,082.03 ↓ -10%

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Thoracentesis pleural space needle/catheter aspiration with imaging guidance (both sides) at other Texas hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
Adventhealth Rollins Brook Lampasas $5,692.94 $788.14 – $4,826.69
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER Dallas $1,410.82 $223.75 – $1,763.53
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BRENHAM Brenham $1,298.50 $71.00 – $1,947.74
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BUDA Suite 110 $1,110.97 $71.00 – $1,556.23
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - CENTENNIAL Frisco $1,410.82 $223.75 – $1,763.53
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - COLLEGE STATION College Station $1,298.50 $85.00 – $1,947.74
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE CONTINUING CARE HOSPITAL Temple $1,298.50 $223.75 – $1,947.74
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE EMERGENCY MEDICAL CENTER - CEDAR PARK Cedar Park $1,110.97 $71.00 – $1,666.46

All Texas hospitals for this procedure →