Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Little Rock, AR
In Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR, 2 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound: from $399.31 to $468.00, with a median of $433.66. The lowest listed price is at Arkansas Childrens Hospital — $34.35 less than the median here. Across Arkansas, the median is $172.90 at 16 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities for code 20610, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Childrens Hospital lowest Little Rock, AR · (501) 364-1100 DRAIN/INJ JOINT/BURSA W/O US | $399.31 | $443.68 | $287.00–$443.68 | 10% | — source file |
| University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock, AR · (501) 686-5000 ASPIRATION AND/OR INJECTION OF FLUID FROM LARGE JOINT | $468.00 | $780.00 | $250.00–$1,306.00 | 40% | — source file |
| Arkansas Childrens Hospital Little Rock, AR · (501) 364-1100 ASPIRATION AND/OR INJECTION OF FLUID FROM LARGE JOINT | $632.18 | $702.42 | $287.00–$702.42 | 10% | — source file |
| University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock, AR · (501) 686-5000 DRAIN/INJ JOINT/BURSA W/O US | $744.00 | $1,240.00 | $250.00–$1,306.00 | 40% | — source file |
Outpatient: lowest $399.31, median $433.66, highest $468.00 — a 1.2× difference within the same market.
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 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.