Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Bismarck, ND
In Bismarck, ND, 2 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound: from $198.90 to $693.60, with a median of $446.25. The lowest listed price is at St. Alexius Medical Center — $247.35 less than the median here. Across North Dakota, the median is $324.75 at 11 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities 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 Feb 28, 2026 and Mar 4, 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 Bismarck, ND.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Alexius Medical Center lowest Bismarck, ND · (701) 530-7000 HC DRAIN INJ JOINT BURSA MAJOR | $198.90 | $390.00 | $257.40–$510.68 | 49% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| St. Alexius Medical Center one side Bismarck, ND · (701) 530-7000 HC ASPIR/INJ MAJOR JNT/BUR RT HHP | $244.29 | $479.00 | $295.19–$510.68 | 49% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| St. Alexius Medical Center Bismarck, ND · (701) 530-7000 HC SP MAN LGM JT INJECTION BIL W/O GMUIDANCE | $249.67 | $489.53 | $295.19–$510.68 | 49% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Sanford Medical Center Bismarck Bismarck, ND · (701) 323-6000 SURG 20610 ARTHROCENTESIS ASP INJ MJR JNT BURSA WO US GUID | $693.60 | $867.00 | $45.27–$780.30 | 20% | Mar 4, 2026 source file |
| Sanford Medical Center Bismarck Bismarck, ND · (701) 323-6000 SURG 20610 INJ MAJOR JOINT BURSA WO US GUID | $693.60 | $867.00 | $45.27–$780.30 | 20% | Mar 4, 2026 source file |
| Sanford Medical Center Bismarck Bismarck, ND · (701) 323-6000 TX RM 20610 ARTHROCENT ASP INJ JOINT BURSA MAJOR WO US GUID | $693.60 | $867.00 | $45.27–$780.30 | 20% | Mar 4, 2026 source file |
| Sanford Medical Center Bismarck Bismarck, ND · (701) 323-6000 ED 20610 ASP INJ JOINT BURSA MAJOR WO US GUID | $693.60 | $867.00 | $45.27–$780.30 | 20% | Mar 4, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $198.90, median $446.25, highest $693.60 — a 3.5× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $446.25. 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 2 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.