Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Santa Rosa, CA — inpatient
In Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA, 4 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound as an inpatient: from $91.29 to $1,317.84, with a median of $946.70. The lowest listed price is at Healdsburg Hospital — $855.41 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $951.60 at 89 hospitals.
Cash prices at 4 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 Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 1, 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healdsburg Hospital lowest Healdsburg, CA · (707) 431-6500 HC PR 20610 DRAIN/INJECT JOINT/BURSA MAJOR JOINT W/O ULTRASOUND GUIDANCE | $91.29 | $179.00 | — | 49% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Healdsburg Hospital Healdsburg, CA · (707) 431-6500 HC PR 20610 DRAIN/INJECT JOINT/BURSA MAJOR | $128.01 | $251.00 | — | 49% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Santa Rosa, CA · (707) 525-5300 HC UC ARTHROCENTESIS JNT MAJ | $622.20 | $1,220.00 | — | 49% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Santa Rosa, CA · (707) 525-5300 HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $850.17 | $1,667.00 | — | 49% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Santa Rosa, CA · (707) 525-5300 HC ED ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US CDM | $850.17 | $1,667.00 | — | 49% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Santa Rosa Santa Rosa, CA · (707) 571-4000 ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $1,271.20 | $2,270.00 | $357.00–$1,117.00 | 44% | — source file |
| Petaluma Valley Hospital Petaluma, CA · (707) 778-1111 HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $1,317.84 | $2,584.00 | — | 49% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Petaluma Valley Hospital Petaluma, CA · (707) 778-1111 HC ED ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US CDM | $1,317.84 | $2,584.00 | — | 49% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Healdsburg Hospital Healdsburg, CA · (707) 431-6500 HC ED ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US CDM | $1,647.81 | $3,231.00 | — | 49% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Healdsburg Hospital Healdsburg, CA · (707) 431-6500 HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $1,647.81 | $3,231.00 | — | 49% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Healdsburg Hospital Healdsburg, CA · (707) 431-6500 HC PR 20610 ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US CDM | $1,676.37 | $3,287.00 | — | 49% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $91.29, median $946.70, highest $1,317.84 — a 14.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 4 facilities here, median $946.70 — 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 not 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.