Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Charleston, SC — inpatient
In Charleston-North Charleston, SC, 5 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound as an inpatient: from $415.50 to $709.80, with a median of $709.80. The lowest listed price is at MUSC Medical Center — $294.30 less than the median here. Across South Carolina, the median is $556.00 at 17 hospitals.
Cash prices at 5 facilities across 3 cities for code 20610, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . 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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUSC Medical Center lowest Charleston, SC · (843) 792-2300 HB ARTHO/ASP/INJ/MAJOR JOINT OR BURSA | $415.50 | $831.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Roper Hospital Charleston, SC · (843) 724-2800 HC Inj/Asp Maj Jnt or Bursa | $709.80 | $1,092.00 | — | 35% | — source file |
| Roper St Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital Mount Pleasant, SC HC Asp Injection Major Joint | $709.80 | $1,092.00 | — | 35% | — source file |
| Roper Hospital Charleston, SC · (843) 724-2800 HC Asp Injection Major Joint | $709.80 | $1,092.00 | — | 35% | — source file |
| Roper St Francis Hospital Berkeley Summerville, SC · (854) 529-3002 HC Inj/Asp Maj Jnt or Bursa | $709.80 | $1,092.00 | — | 35% | — source file |
| Bon Secours St Francis Xavier Hospital Charleston, SC · (843) 402-1006 HC Asp Injection Major Joint | $709.80 | $1,092.00 | — | 35% | — source file |
| Bon Secours St Francis Xavier Hospital Charleston, SC · (843) 402-1006 HC Joint Injection/Aspir Large WO US | $709.80 | $1,092.00 | — | 35% | — source file |
| Bon Secours St Francis Xavier Hospital Charleston, SC · (843) 402-1006 HC Inj/Asp Maj Jnt or Bursa | $709.80 | $1,092.00 | — | 35% | — source file |
| Roper St Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital Mount Pleasant, SC HC Inj/Asp Maj Jnt or Bursa | $709.80 | $1,092.00 | — | 35% | — source file |
| Roper St Francis Hospital Berkeley Summerville, SC · (854) 529-3002 HC Asp Injection Major Joint | $709.80 | $1,092.00 | — | 35% | — source file |
| Roper St Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital Mount Pleasant, SC HC Arthrocent/Aspiration Maj Jnt | $809.25 | $1,245.00 | — | 35% | — source file |
| Bon Secours St Francis Xavier Hospital Charleston, SC · (843) 402-1006 HC Arthrocent/Aspiration Maj Jnt | $809.25 | $1,245.00 | — | 35% | — source file |
| Roper Hospital Charleston, SC · (843) 724-2800 HC Arthrocent/Aspiration Maj Jnt | $809.25 | $1,245.00 | — | 35% | — source file |
| Roper St Francis Hospital Berkeley Summerville, SC · (854) 529-3002 HC Arthrocent/Aspiration Maj Jnt | $809.25 | $1,245.00 | — | 35% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $415.50, median $709.80, highest $709.80 — a 1.7× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 5 facilities here, median $709.80 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
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.