Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Lancaster, PA — inpatient
In Lancaster, PA, 3 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound as an inpatient: from $453.60 to $1,966.40, with a median of $556.32. The lowest listed price is at UPMC Lititz — $102.72 less than the median here. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $456.00 at 72 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 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 — 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 Lancaster, PA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPMC Lititz lowest Lititz, PA · (717) 625-2000 HC ASP/INJ MAJ JOINT HIP,SHLD,KN W/O US | $453.60 | $756.00 | $280.48–$642.60 | 40% | — source file |
| Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center one side Lancaster, PA · (223) 287-9000 CT Joint Major Arthrocentesis/Asp/Inj Lt Tech | $556.32 | $1,919.00 | $256.02–$1,535.20 | 71% | — source file |
| Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center Lancaster, PA · (223) 287-9000 20610 XR Joint Inj Major Hip, Knee Shoulder Tech | $556.32 | $1,919.00 | $256.02–$1,535.20 | 71% | — source file |
| Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center Lancaster, PA · (223) 287-9000 20610 XR Aspiration LRG Jt(Hip, Shoulder,Knee) Tech | $556.32 | $1,919.00 | $256.02–$1,535.20 | 71% | — source file |
| Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center Lancaster, PA · (223) 287-9000 20610 NV INJ MAJ JTS HIP-KNEE-SHOUL Tech | $556.32 | $1,919.00 | $256.02–$1,535.20 | 71% | — source file |
| Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center one side Lancaster, PA · (223) 287-9000 20610 IR Joint, Major RT Drain or Inj w/oUS Tech | $556.32 | $1,919.00 | $256.02–$1,535.20 | 71% | — source file |
| Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center one side Lancaster, PA · (223) 287-9000 20610 IR Joint, Major LT Drain or Inj w/oUS Tech | $556.32 | $1,919.00 | $256.02–$1,535.20 | 71% | — source file |
| Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center Lancaster, PA · (223) 287-9000 20610 DRAIN/INJ JOINT/BURSA W/O US Tech | $556.32 | $1,919.00 | $256.02–$1,535.20 | 71% | — source file |
| Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center one side Lancaster, PA · (223) 287-9000 CT Joint Major Arthrocentesis/Asp/Inj Rt Tech | $556.32 | $1,919.00 | $256.02–$1,535.20 | 71% | — source file |
| Ephrata Community Hospital Ephrata, PA · (717) 733-0311 Aspiration and/or Injection of Fluid From Large Joint | $1,966.40 | $2,458.00 | $1,568.70–$1,966.40 | 20% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $453.60, median $556.32, highest $1,966.40 — a 4.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $556.32 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 3 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it 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.