Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Baltimore, MD — inpatient
In Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, 2 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound as an inpatient: from $147.00 to $192.19, with a median of $169.60. The lowest listed price is at Greater Baltimore Medical Center — $22.60 less than the median here. Across Maryland, the median is $182.55 at 5 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 20610, 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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Baltimore Medical Center lowest Towson, MD · (443) 849-2000 Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $147.00 | $147.00 | $92.46–$147.00 | — | — source file |
| Greater Baltimore Medical Center lowest Towson, MD · (443) 849-2000 Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $147.00 | $147.00 | $92.46–$147.00 | — | — source file |
| Mercy Medical Center Baltimore, MD · (410) 332-9237 HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $192.19 | $196.11 | $196.11–$192.19 | 2% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $147.00, median $169.60, highest $192.19 — a 1.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $192.19 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 0 of 2 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 it is 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 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.