Joint injection (medium joint) cost in Durham, NC — inpatient
In Durham, NC, 1 hospital lists a cash price for joint injection or drainage, medium joint (wrist, elbow, ankle) as an inpatient: from $104.50 to $104.50, with a median of $104.50. Across North Carolina, the median is $288.00 at 37 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 20605, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 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 Durham, NC.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University Hospital lowest Durham, NC · (919) 684-8111 Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Interm Jt/Burs W/O US | $104.50 | $209.00 | $15.81–$66.42 | 50% | — source file |
| Duke University Hospital lowest Durham, NC · (919) 684-8111 Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Interm Jt/Burs W/O US | $104.50 | $209.00 | $15.81–$181.83 | 50% | — source file |
| Duke University Hospital Durham, NC · (919) 684-8111 Arthcs Asp/Inj Int Jt WO US | $210.87 | $781.00 | $176.58–$1,012.18 | 73% | — source file |
| Duke University Hospital Durham, NC · (919) 684-8111 Arthcs Asp/Inj Int Jt WO US | $316.31 | $1,171.50 | $179.63–$1,171.50 | 73% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $104.50, median $104.50, highest $104.50.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $104.50 — 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 not 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.