Procedures
Percutaneous pleural drainage catheter (pigtail) insertion without imaging guidance cost in North Carolina
Percutaneous pleural drainage catheter (pigtail) insertion without imaging guidance is an imaging test. Cash prices for imaging vary widely: hospitals often charge several times what an independent imaging center charges for the same scan.
Typical cash price
In North Carolina
From 69 hospital and 0 clinic prices in North Carolina.
Nationwide typical: $2,000 (most listed prices $577–$4,905).
Usually included: the scan itself (technical fee) + the radiologist's read (professional fee).
Good to know: The image-guided version is 32557. Usually done in the ER or on inpatients, so it often also sits inside an ER visit bundle or inpatient DRG.
Cheapest in North Carolina
Total price
Percutaneous pleural drainage catheter (pigtail) insertion without imaging guidance
The facility fee + the doctor's fee
How totals are compared
Every total covers the same bundle: the facility fee + the doctor's fee. Where a hospital does not publish a part, the typical published amount is added and the total is marked estimated.
In North Carolina, from 69 providers. Most listed prices: $804–$2,945.
Cheapest totals nearby
- Duke Raleigh Hospital a Campus of Duke University Hospital$497Hospital · DurhamEstimated: adds a typical amount for unpublished parts
- $497
- Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital$765Hospital · ElkinEstimated: adds a typical amount for unpublished parts
- Duke Raleigh Hospital a Campus of Duke University HospitalChest drainage catheter insertion, without imaging guidanceScan only$260est. $497 total
The radiologist read is billed separately. +1 more in this system at the same published price.
Source: Duke Raleigh Hospital a Campus of Duke University price fil · checked Oct 2026 - $590
The radiologist read is billed separately.
Source: Atrium Health Anson price file · checked Oct 2026 - Alamance Regional Medical CenterChest drainage catheter insertion, without imaging guidanceScan only$614
The radiologist read is billed separately.
Source: Alamance Regional Medical Center price file · checked Oct 2026 - $614
The radiologist read is billed separately. +3 more in this system at the same published price.
Source: Annie Penn Hospital price file · checked Oct 2026 - UNC Health Blue Ridge - MorgantonChest drainage catheter insertion, without imaging guidanceScan only$637
The radiologist read is billed separately. Location not independently confirmed.
Source: UNC Health Blue Ridge - Morganton price file · checked Oct 2026 - $681
The radiologist read is billed separately.
Source: ECU Health Duplin Hospital price file · checked Oct 2026 - $706
The radiologist read is billed separately.
Source: ECU Health Chowan Hospital price file · checked Oct 2026 - $714
The radiologist read is billed separately.
Source: The Outer Banks Hospital price file · checked Oct 2026 - $527est. $765 total
The radiologist read is billed separately.
Source: Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital price file · checked Oct 2026 - $765
The radiologist read is billed separately.
Source: ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital price file · checked Oct 2026 - ECU Health Beaufort Hospital - a campus of ECU Health Medical CenterChest drainage catheter insertion, without imaging guidanceScan only$773
The radiologist read is billed separately. +1 more in this system at the same published price.
Source: ECU Health Beaufort Hospital - a campus of ECU Hea price fil · checked Oct 2026 - Atrium Health Behavioral Health CharlotteChest drainage catheter insertion, without imaging guidanceScan only$566est. $804 total
The radiologist read is billed separately.
Source: Atrium Health Behavioral Health Charlotte price file · checked Oct 2026
Common questions
Is the radiologist's read included?
Not always. Hospitals usually list the scan (technical fee) and the radiologist's read (professional fee) separately. Many imaging centers quote one all-in price. Look for the "All-in", "Scan only" or "Read only" label on each price.
Do I need a referral?
Most imaging tests need an order from a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant. Some imaging centers can arrange one; ask when you call.
Why are prices so different?
Each hospital and clinic sets its own cash price. Hospitals publish prices because federal rules require it; clinics and booking sites set prices to compete. The same service can cost several times more at one place than at another nearby.
Can I pay cash if I have insurance?
Yes. You can choose to self-pay. A cash price is often lower than what you would pay before meeting your deductible. Cash payments may not count toward your deductible, so check with your plan. Our cash vs. insurance tool can help you decide.
What is a Good Faith Estimate?
If you are uninsured or paying cash, providers must give you a Good Faith Estimate of the cost on request. If your final bill is $400 or more above the estimate, you can dispute it.