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Removal Of A Long-term Chest Drainage Catheter

Alabama rates for HCPCS 32552

This is the removal of a long-term catheter that had been tunneled under the skin and placed into the space around the lung to drain recurring fluid buildup. Because the catheter has a cuff that anchors it under the skin, removing it requires a small procedure rather than simply pulling it out. It's done once the catheter is no longer needed.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Removal Of A Long-term Chest Drainage Catheter cost?

$1,626

Typical total for the visit. In Alabama, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,626 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $245 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,380 to the hospital or surgery center where it takes place. Done somewhere without a facility charge, you pay only the first.

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 4 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$245$174 to $302
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,380$832 to $1,698

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,380 · 10th to 90th $562 to $2,399Professionalmedian $245 · 10th to 90th $148 to $347
$200$500$1K$2Kfacility $1,380professional $245

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
$562.34
Median
$954.99
Typical High
$2,398.83
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$263.03
Typical High
$346.74
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,318.26
Median
$1,584.89
Typical High
$2,089.30
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$158.49
Median
$229.09
Typical High
$251.19
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$169.82
Median
$245.47
Typical High
$346.74
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$398.11
Median
$1,148.15
Typical High
$2,511.89
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$128.82
Median
$181.97
Typical High
$295.12

Where Alabama sits

The same service costs 15.9 times more in California than in West Virginia. 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.

Physician feeFacility fee

Alabama· 26th of 49

$1,626

$245 physician + $1,380 facility

CA $5,714WV $360

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.