Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Little Rock, AR — inpatient
In Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR, 3 hospitals list a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound as an inpatient: from $177.19 to $193.20, with a median of $186.55. The lowest listed price is at Conway Regional Medical Center — $9.36 less than the median here. Across Arkansas, the median is $175.05 at 26 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 3 cities for code 20610, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 28, 2026 and Jul 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conway Regional Medical Center lowest Conway, AR · (501) 329-3831 DRAIN/INJECT JOINT/BURSA | $177.19 | $805.40 | $177.19–$805.40 | 78% | Jul 2, 2026 source file |
| St Vincent Infirmary Medical Center Little Rock, AR · (501) 552-3000 2NW ASPIRATION MAJOR JOINT | $186.55 | $727.00 | — | 74% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| St Vincent Infirmary Medical Center Little Rock, AR · (501) 552-3000 LC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIRATION/INJ | $189.38 | $738.00 | — | 74% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center Sherwood, AR · (501) 552-7100 CR INJ MAJOR JOINT | $193.20 | $760.00 | — | 75% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| St Vincent Infirmary Medical Center Little Rock, AR · (501) 552-3000 CR INJ MAJOR JOINT | $195.02 | $760.00 | — | 74% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Conway Regional Medical Center Conway, AR · (501) 329-3831 INJ/ASP SHLD HIP KNEE JOINT | $213.95 | $972.52 | $213.95–$972.52 | 78% | Jul 2, 2026 source file |
| Conway Regional Medical Center Conway, AR · (501) 329-3831 HIP/KNEE/SHOULDR ASPIRATION | $213.95 | $972.52 | $213.95–$972.52 | 78% | Jul 2, 2026 source file |
| Conway Regional Medical Center Conway, AR · (501) 329-3831 USASP OF ANY MAJOR JOINT | $213.95 | $972.52 | $213.95–$972.52 | 78% | Jul 2, 2026 source file |
| Conway Regional Medical Center Conway, AR · (501) 329-3831 ER ASP/INJ MJ JNT SHLD/KNEE/HP | $213.95 | $972.52 | $213.95–$972.52 | 78% | Jul 2, 2026 source file |
| St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center Sherwood, AR · (501) 552-7100 20610-DRAIN/INJECT JOINT/BURSA | $281.40 | $1,107.00 | — | 75% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| St Vincent Infirmary Medical Center Little Rock, AR · (501) 552-3000 20610-DRAIN/INJECT JOINT/BURSA | $284.06 | $1,107.00 | — | 74% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| St Vincent Infirmary Medical Center Little Rock, AR · (501) 552-3000 4NE DRAIN/INJ JOINT/BURSA W/O US | $284.06 | $1,107.00 | — | 74% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $177.19, median $186.55, highest $193.20 — a 1.1× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 5 facilities here, median $193.20 — 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 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.