Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Riverside, CA — inpatient
In Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA, 10 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound as an inpatient: from $244.06 to $2,057.55, with a median of $951.60. The lowest listed price is at Palo Verde Hospital — $707.54 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $951.60 at 89 hospitals.
Cash prices at 10 facilities across 8 cities for code 20610, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Sep 2, 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Verde Hospital lowest Blythe, CA · (760) 922-4115 20610-Major Joint Aspirate/Inject w/o US | $244.06 | $325.42 | — | 25% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Loma Linda University Medical Center - Murrieta Murrieta, CA · (951) 290-4000 HC ASPIR/INJ MAJOR JOINT/BURSA | $327.15 | $727.00 | $131.59–$545.25 | 55% | Sep 2, 2026 source file |
| Loma Linda University Childrens Hospital Loma Linda, CA · (909) 558-8000 HC ASPIR/INJ MAJOR JOINT/BURSA | $659.25 | $1,465.00 | $293.00–$1,245.25 | 55% | Sep 2, 2026 source file |
| St Mary Medical Center Apple Valley, CA · (760) 242-2311 HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $751.68 | $1,566.00 | — | 52% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| St Mary Medical Center Apple Valley, CA · (760) 242-2311 HC ED ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US CDM | $751.68 | $1,566.00 | — | 52% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Moreno Valley Moreno Valley, CA · (951) 251-6530 ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $951.60 | $1,830.00 | $293.00–$871.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Riverside Riverside, CA · (951) 353-2000 ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $951.60 | $1,830.00 | $293.00–$871.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fontana Fontana, CA · (909) 427-5000 ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $951.60 | $1,830.00 | $293.00–$871.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Loma Linda University Medical Center Loma Linda, CA · (909) 558-4000 HC ASPIR/INJ MAJOR JOINT/BURSA | $1,026.00 | $2,280.00 | $456.00–$2,052.00 | 55% | Sep 2, 2026 source file |
| San Antonio Regional Hospital Upland, CA · (909) 985-2811 Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from large joint | $1,412.00 | $9,033.00 | $45.79–$13,097.85 | 84% | Apr 2, 2026 source file |
| Riverside University Medical Center Moreno Valley, CA · (951) 486-4000 HC Aspir/Inj Major Joint/Bursa | $2,057.55 | $2,057.55 | $58.61–$2,057.55 | — | — source file |
| Riverside University Medical Center Moreno Valley, CA · (951) 486-4000 HC Aspir/Inj Major Joint/Bursa | $2,057.55 | $2,057.55 | $58.61–$2,057.55 | — | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $244.06, median $951.60, highest $2,057.55 — a 8.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 13 facilities here, median $659.25 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 4 of 8 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.