Price Checker / CPT 32551
How much does Insertion Of Chest Tube cost?
CPT 32551 · Based on 2026 Medicare rates and hospital-published pricing
The average hospital charge is around 18x the fair price — among the most extreme markups. Dispute this.
Fair price
$210–$430
What this should cost
With insurance
~$74,500
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$540
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $5,628 is $5,308 over the fair price (about 18x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for Insertion Of Chest Tube
From hospital-published transparency (MRF) files. These are the hospitals in our database that list this procedure.
| Hospital | Gross Charge | Cash Rate | vs Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| WTH Dyersburg Hospital , TN | — | $288 | 31693% |
| Centrastate Medical Center FREEHOLD, NJ | $36,317 | $6,883 | 25304% |
| Franciscan Health Olympia Fields , IL | $20,436 | $4,087 | 14195% |
| Southlake Specialty Hospital LLC Southlake, TX | — | — | 9434% |
| Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute Harrisburg, PA | $9,373 | — | 5145% |
| Beartooth Billings Clinic RED LODGE, MT | $6,506 | — | 4451% |
| Mena Hospital Commission dba Mena Regional Health System , AR | $5,851 | $3,511 | 3993% |
| Claiborne Memorial Medical Center HOMER, LA | $4,893 | $4,893 | 3323% |
| Monroe Regional Hospital ABERDEEN, MS | $4,894 | $4,894 | 3323% |
| Liberty Dayton Regional Medical Center Liberty, TX | $4,893 | — | 3151% |
| Bucktail Medical Center RENOVO, PA | $4,641 | $4,177 | 3146% |
| Putnam County Memorial Hospital UNIONVILLE, MO | $4,578 | $3,204 | 3102% |
| Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital , NY | $4,308 | $1,723 | 2914% |
| Pemiscot Memorial Health Systems , MO | $4,308 | $3,016 | 2913% |
| Newport Community Hospital Newport, WA | $4,189 | — | 2713% |
Were you billed for this procedure?
Send us your bill and we'll compare every line item against Medicare rates and your hospital's published prices. Free review, no obligation.
About Insertion Of Chest Tube
CPT code 32551 refers to insertion of chest tube (billing description: "Insertion of chest tube"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $143 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $143 in a doctor's office.
The Medicare rate is the closest thing to an objective "what this work is actually worth." A fair cash price for the uninsured is generally 1.5–3x that rate. Hospital sticker (gross) charges are often far higher — but almost nobody actually pays them.
What to do if you were overcharged
- 1Send us your bill — we'll identify this code and compare it against the rates shown above.
- 2Get a dispute letter — citing the Medicare rate and your hospital's own published pricing data.
- 3We negotiate for you — 25% of savings, no savings = no fee.