Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Columbia, SC
In Columbia, SC, 3 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound: from $398.50 to $478.50, with a median of $398.50. The lowest listed price is at MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast and 1 other hospital. Across South Carolina, the median is $556.00 at 17 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 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 Columbia, SC.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast lowest Columbia, SC HB ARTHO/ASP/INJ/MAJOR JOINT OR BURSA | $398.50 | $797.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown lowest Columbia, SC · (803) 256-5300 HB ARTHO/ASP/INJ/MAJOR JOINT OR BURSA | $398.50 | $797.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kershaw Medical Center Camden, SC · (803) 432-4311 HB ARTHO/ASP/INJ/MAJOR JOINT OR BURSA | $478.50 | $957.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $398.50, median $398.50, highest $478.50 — a 1.2× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $398.50. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
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.