Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Washington, DC
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, 7 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound: from $470.50 to $523.00, with a median of $478.00. The lowest listed price is at Jefferson Medical Center — $7.50 less than the median here.
Cash prices at 7 facilities across 6 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 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Medical Center lowest Ranson, WV · (304) 728-1600 DRAIN/INJ JOINT/BURSA W/O US | $470.50 | $941.00 | $25.00 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Loudoun Hospital Leesburg, VA · (703) 858-6600 HC INJ/ASP MAJOR JNT/BURSA WO US GUID | $478.00 | $956.00 | $295.19–$2,678.00 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 664-7105 HC INJ/ASP MAJOR JNT/BURSA WO US GUID | $478.00 | $956.00 | $295.19–$2,678.00 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Fairfax Hospital Falls Church, VA · (703) 698-1110 HC INJ/ASP MAJOR JNT/BURSA WO US GUID | $478.00 | $956.00 | $295.19–$2,678.00 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Fairfax, VA · (703) 391-4170 HC INJ/ASP MAJOR JNT/BURSA WO US GUID | $478.00 | $956.00 | $295.19–$2,678.00 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Alexandria Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 504-3167 HC INJ/ASP MAJOR JNT/BURSA WO US GUID | $478.00 | $956.00 | $295.19–$2,678.00 | 50% | — source file |
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Chgr Arthrocentesis-Maj Jnt W/O Us | $523.00 | $1,046.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Oth-Inj Major Jnt/Bur W/O Us | $523.00 | $1,046.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Spec-Arthrocent-Maj Jnt W/O Us | $523.00 | $1,046.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 20610 Arthrcents-Mj Jnt W/O Us | $523.00 | $1,046.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Chg - Arthrocentesis-Maj Jnt W/O Us | $553.50 | $1,107.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $470.50, median $478.00, highest $523.00 — a 1.1× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 6 facilities here, median $478.00. 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 5 of 6 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.