Joint injection (medium joint) cost in Altoona, PA — inpatient
In Altoona, PA, 2 hospitals list a cash price for joint injection or drainage, medium joint (wrist, elbow, ankle) as an inpatient: from $64.00 to $361.20, with a median of $212.60. The lowest listed price is at Penn Highlands Tyrone — $148.60 less than the median here. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $379.80 at 69 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 20605, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 1, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Altoona, PA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn Highlands Tyrone lowest Tyrone, PA · (814) 684-1255 Q-CARE ARTHROCENTESIS INTERM JOINT | $64.00 | $64.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Altoona Altoona, PA · (814) 889-2011 ARTHRO ASP/INJ INT JT WO/US | $361.20 | $602.00 | $301.00–$481.60 | 40% | — source file |
| Penn Highlands Tyrone Tyrone, PA · (814) 684-1255 RHC ARTHROCENTESIS INTERM JOINT | $847.00 | $847.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Penn Highlands Tyrone Tyrone, PA · (814) 684-1255 ARTHROCENTESIS INTERM JOINT | $3,574.00 | $3,574.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Penn Highlands Tyrone Tyrone, PA · (814) 684-1255 ARTHROCENTESIS, INTERM JOINT ED TC | $3,574.00 | $3,574.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $64.00, median $212.60, highest $361.20 — a 5.6× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $212.60 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
This code covers injecting or draining a medium-sized joint such as the wrist, elbow or ankle.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the procedure. The medicine and imaging guidance are billed separately.