Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in New Orleans, LA — inpatient
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, 3 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound as an inpatient: from $72.16 to $655.80, with a median of $277.44. The lowest listed price is at Ochsner Clinic Foundation — $205.28 less than the median here. Across Louisiana, the median is $248.51 at 48 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ochsner Clinic Foundation lowest New Orleans, LA · (504) 842-3000 HC ARTHROCENTESIS MAJOR JOINT | $72.16 | $328.00 | — | 78% | — source file |
| St Bernard Parish Hospital Chalmette, LA · (504) 826-9500 HC ARTHROCENTESIS MAJOR JOINT | $277.44 | $867.00 | — | 68% | — source file |
| St Charles Parish Hospital Luling, LA · (985) 785-3644 IR MAJOR JNT ARTHROCENT WO US | $655.80 | $1,093.00 | $615.36–$1,093.00 | 40% | — source file |
| St Charles Parish Hospital Luling, LA · (985) 785-3644 CT MAJOR JNT ARTHROCENT WO US | $655.80 | $1,093.00 | $615.36–$1,093.00 | 40% | — source file |
| St Charles Parish Hospital Luling, LA · (985) 785-3644 US MAJOR JNT ARTHROCENT WO US | $655.80 | $1,093.00 | $615.36–$1,093.00 | 40% | — source file |
| St Charles Parish Hospital Luling, LA · (985) 785-3644 ED MAJOR JNT ARTHROCENT WO US | $655.80 | $1,093.00 | $615.36–$1,093.00 | 40% | — source file |
| St Charles Parish Hospital Luling, LA · (985) 785-3644 CL MAJOR JNT ARTHROCENT WO US | $655.80 | $1,093.00 | $615.36–$1,093.00 | 40% | — source file |
| St Charles Parish Hospital Luling, LA · (985) 785-3644 DX MAJOR JNT ARTHROCENT WO US | $655.80 | $1,093.00 | $615.36–$1,093.00 | 40% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $72.16, median $277.44, highest $655.80 — a 9.1× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 12 facilities here, median $237.94 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. 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.