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Placement of a Tunneled Chest Drainage Catheter

Kentucky rates for HCPCS 32550

Places a soft drainage tube into the space around the lung and runs it a short distance under the skin, where a small cuff anchors it so it can stay in for the long term. The outer end is capped under a dressing, and fluid can be drained into a bottle whenever it builds up. It is used when fluid around the lung keeps coming back.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Placement of a Tunneled Chest Drainage Catheter cost?

$3,311

Typical facility fee. In Kentucky, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $3,311 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $1,380 to $5,495.

These are rates insurers have negotiated with providers, not the amount a patient is billed. What you owe depends on your plan's deductible and coinsurance. Based on rates published by 5 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $3,311 · 10th to 90th $389 to $8,511
$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $3,311

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Each curve is scaled to its own total: facility and professional rates are different services, shown together to compare where they cluster. Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$295.12
Median
$851.14
Typical High
$5,495.41
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,949.84
Median
$3,630.78
Typical High
$8,511.38
CareSource
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$181.97
Median
$257.04
Typical High
$302.00
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$34.67
Median
$323.59
Typical High
$323.59
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$977.24
Median
$4,677.35
Typical High
$8,511.38

Where Kentucky sits

The same service costs 10.0 times more in Indiana than in North Dakota. Every bar is a state, most expensive first. Touch or drag across it to read any state, then open that state for its carriers and full range.

Kentucky· 20th of 50

$3,311

IN $7,943ND $794

Median negotiated rate in each state, from every insurer that publishes one. States where no insurer publishes a rate for this service are not shown.