Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Altoona, PA
In Altoona, PA, 2 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound: from $505.20 to $867.00, with a median of $686.10. The lowest listed price is at UPMC Altoona — $180.90 less than the median here. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $456.00 at 72 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 20610, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPMC Altoona lowest Altoona, PA · (814) 889-2011 ARTHRO ASP/INJ LG JT WO/US | $505.20 | $842.00 | $18.59–$673.60 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Altoona lowest Altoona, PA · (814) 889-2011 ARTHRO ASP/INJ MAJOR JOINT | $505.20 | $842.00 | $18.59–$673.60 | 40% | — source file |
| Penn Highlands Tyrone Tyrone, PA · (814) 684-1255 RHC ARTHROCENTESIS MAJOR JOINT | $867.00 | $867.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Penn Highlands Tyrone Tyrone, PA · (814) 684-1255 ARTHROCENTESIS MAJOR JOINT | $3,574.00 | $3,574.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Penn Highlands Tyrone Tyrone, PA · (814) 684-1255 ARTHROCENTESIS MAJOR JOINT ED TC | $3,574.00 | $3,574.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Penn Highlands Tyrone both sides Tyrone, PA · (814) 684-1255 RHC ARTHROCENTESIS MAJOR JOINT BILATERAL | $1,301.00 | $1,301.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $505.20, median $686.10, highest $867.00 — a 1.7× difference within the same market.
Both sides : lowest $1,301.00, median $1,301.00, highest $1,301.00.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $686.10. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
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 procedure uses a needle to inject medicine into, or draw fluid out of, a large joint such as the knee, shoulder or hip, or a large bursa. It is commonly used for arthritis or bursitis pain, or to test joint fluid.
What the price covers
The price covers the injection or drainage procedure for one joint. The drug itself, such as a steroid or gel injection, and any lab test of the fluid are billed separately.