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Image-Guided Chest Drainage Catheter Placement

Vermont rates for HCPCS 32557

A catheter is inserted through the chest wall into the space around the lung to drain a fluid buildup (pleural effusion), guided by ultrasound or other imaging to place it accurately. The catheter can stay in place to allow drainage over time, rather than being removed right after a single needle draw.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Image-Guided Chest Drainage Catheter Placement cost?

$724

Typical physician fee. In Vermont, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $724 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $195 to $1,202.

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.

How much rates vary

Professionalmedian $724 · 10th to 90th $195 to $1,259
$200$500$1K$2Kprofessional $724

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
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$194.98
Median
$199.53
Typical High
$1,258.93
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$954.99
Median
$1,122.02
Typical High
$1,122.02
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$190.55
Median
$269.15
Typical High
$1,584.89
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$691.83
Typical High
$1,698.24

Where Vermont sits

The same service costs 6.0 times more in Wisconsin 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.

Vermont· 22nd of 51

$724

WI $1,202WV $200

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.