Price Checker / CPT 32552
How much does Remove Lung Catheter cost?
CPT 32552 · Based on 2026 Medicare rates and hospital-published pricing
The average hospital charge is around 13x the fair price — among the most extreme markups. Dispute this.
Fair price
$290–$570
What this should cost
With insurance
~$65,000
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$710
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $5,594 is $5,164 over the fair price (about 13x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for Remove Lung Catheter
From hospital-published transparency (MRF) files. These are the hospitals in our database that list this procedure.
| Hospital | Gross Charge | Cash Rate | vs Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindred Hospital Las Vegas - Flamingo Las Vegas, NV | $6,842 | — | 3488% |
| Kindred Hospital Las Vegas - Sahara Las Vegas, NV | $6,842 | — | 3488% |
| Kindred Hospital Bay Area - St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, FL | $5,818 | — | 2951% |
| Kindred Hospital Bay Area - Tampa Tampa, FL | $5,818 | — | 2951% |
| Kindred Hospital Central Tampa Tampa, FL | $5,818 | — | 2951% |
| Kindred Hospital Melbourne Melbourne, FL | $5,818 | — | 2951% |
| Kindred Hospital North Florida Green Cove Springs, FL | $5,818 | — | 2951% |
| Kindred Hospital Ocala Ocala, FL | $5,818 | — | 2951% |
| Kindred Hospital South Florida - Coral Gables Coral Gables, FL | $5,818 | — | 2951% |
| Kindred Hospital South Florida - Ft. Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, FL | $5,818 | — | 2951% |
| Kindred Hospital South Florida - Hollywood Hollywood, FL | $5,818 | — | 2951% |
| Kindred Hospital The Palm Beaches Riviera Beach, FL | $5,818 | — | 2951% |
| 62-1113167 BMH Tipton , TN | — | — | 2376% |
| Cornerstone Hospital Conroe Conroe, TX | $3,677 | — | 1828% |
| Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute Harrisburg, PA | $3,645 | — | 1429% |
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 Remove Lung Catheter
CPT code 32552 refers to remove lung catheter (billing description: "Remove lung catheter"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $148 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $191 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.