Joint injection (medium joint) cost in Helena, MT — inpatient
In Helena, MT, 1 hospital lists a cash price for joint injection or drainage, medium joint (wrist, elbow, ankle) (one side of the body) as an inpatient: from $219.18 to $219.18, with a median of $219.18. Across Montana, the median is $184.56 at 8 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 20605, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 22, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Helena, MT.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Peter's Health one side lowest Helena, MT · (406) 442-2480 HC MEDIUM JOINT ASPIRTN/INJECT UNILATERAL W/O US GUIDE | $219.18 | $257.86 | $244.97 | 15% | — source file |
| St. Peter's Health both sides Helena, MT · (406) 442-2480 HC MEDIUM JOINT ASPIRTN/INJECT BILATERAL W/O US GUIDE | $239.60 | $281.88 | $267.79 | 15% | — source file |
One side of the body : lowest $219.18, median $219.18, highest $219.18.
Both sides : lowest $239.60, median $239.60, highest $239.60.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $197.92 — 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 and below every plan's rate. 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.