Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in St. Louis, MO — inpatient
In St. Louis, MO-IL, 8 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound as an inpatient: from $105.58 to $1,828.80, with a median of $368.24. The lowest listed price is at Gateway Regional Medical Center — $262.66 less than the median here. Across Missouri, the median is $191.10 at 31 hospitals.
Cash prices at 8 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 24, 2026 and Jun 12, 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 St. Louis, MO-IL.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Regional Medical Center lowest Granite City, IL · (618) 798-3000 MAJOR JOINT INJECTION | $105.58 | $175.96 | $175.96 | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln Elsberry, MO Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $112.50 | $150.00 | $60.00–$135.00 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln Elsberry, MO Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $112.50 | $150.00 | $60.00–$135.00 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospitals East Communities Washington, MO Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $112.50 | $150.00 | $60.00–$127.50 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln Elsberry, MO Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $112.50 | $150.00 | $60.00–$135.00 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln Elsberry, MO Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $112.50 | $150.00 | $60.00–$135.00 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln Elsberry, MO Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $112.50 | $150.00 | $60.00–$135.00 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Ranken Jordan Home for Convalescent Crippled Children Hospital Maryland Heights, MO · (314) 872-6400 Aspiration and/or injection, major joint or bursa (shoulder, hip, knee, subacromial bursa, etc) | $169.84 | $212.30 | — | 20% | Apr 24, 2026 source file |
| St Josephs Hospital Hospital Sisters Third Order of St Francis Breese, IL · (618) 526-4511 HC ASPIR/INJECT MAJOR JOINT OR BURSA | $566.64 | $787.00 | $213.37–$822.34 | 28% | — source file |
| St Josephs Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis Highland, IL · (618) 651-2600 DRAIN/INJ JOINT/BURSA W/O US | $609.84 | $847.00 | $169.40–$847.00 | 28% | — source file |
| Hshs Holy Family Hospital Greenville, IL · (618) 664-1230 HC ASPIR/INJECT MAJOR JOINT OR BURSA | $662.40 | $920.00 | $224.03–$920.00 | 28% | — source file |
| Hshs Holy Family Hospital Greenville, IL · (618) 664-1230 DRAIN/INJ JOINT/BURSA W/O US | $662.40 | $920.00 | $224.03–$920.00 | 28% | — source file |
| Hshs Holy Family Hospital Greenville, IL · (618) 664-1230 HC ARTHROCNT/ASP/INJ JNT MAJOR W/O US GUID-BIL | $1,324.80 | $1,840.00 | $224.03–$1,840.00 | 28% | — source file |
| St Elizabeths Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis O'Fallon, IL HC ASPIR/INJECT MAJOR JOINT OR BURSA | $1,828.80 | $2,540.00 | $213.37–$2,540.00 | 28% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $105.58, median $368.24, highest $1,828.80 — a 17.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 14 facilities here, median $196.95 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 7 of 7 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 it is 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.