Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Phoenix, AZ
In Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ, 10 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound: from $376.67 to $2,599.00, with a median of $2,599.00. The lowest listed price is at Valleywise Health Medical Center — $2,222.33 less than the median here. Across Arizona, the median is $2,599.00 at 15 hospitals.
Cash prices at 10 facilities across 5 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 Jun 28, 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valleywise Health Medical Center lowest Phoenix, AZ · (602) 344-5011 HC DRAIN/INJECT LARGE JOINT/BURSA | $376.67 | $1,400.00 | $327.54–$1,308.00 | 73% | Jun 28, 2026 source file |
| HonorHealth Four Peaks Medical Center Mesa, AZ · (480) 358-6100 Hc Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O Us | $2,599.00 | $2,599.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center Phoenix, AZ · (602) 943-2381 Hc Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O Us | $2,599.00 | $2,599.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center Scottsdale, AZ · (480) 882-4004 Hc Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O Us | $2,599.00 | $2,599.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center Scottsdale, AZ · (480) 323-3000 Hc Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O Us | $2,599.00 | $2,599.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center Phoenix, AZ · (623) 879-6100 Hc Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O Us | $2,599.00 | $2,599.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| HonorHealth Tempe Medical Center Tempe, AZ Hc Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O Us | $2,599.00 | $2,599.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| HonorHealth Scottsdale Thompson Peak Med Center Scottsdale, AZ · (480) 324-7001 Hc Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O Us | $2,599.00 | $2,599.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| HonorHealth Florence Medical Center Florence, AZ Hc Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O Us | $2,599.00 | $2,599.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| HonorHealth Sonoran Crossing Medical Center Phoenix, AZ · (480) 882-4327 Hc Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O Us | $2,599.00 | $2,599.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $376.67, median $2,599.00, highest $2,599.00 — a 6.9× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 11 facilities here, median $2,599.00. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
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.