Joint injection (small joint) cost in Maryland
In Maryland, 5 hospitals publish a cash price for joint injection or drainage, small joint (fingers, toes): from $124.00 to $246.71, with a median of $168.51. The lowest price is at Atlantic General Hospital (Berlin). The highest price is 2.0× the lowest.
- The median here, $168.51, is 53% below the US median of $359.00.
- That is 0.5× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($313.60).
- Maryland has the lowest median of 49 states with at least 5 hospitals pricing this code.
- 2 of 5 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Why Maryland prices look low: Maryland is the only state where a commission (the HSCRC) sets hospital rates for every payer, so its hospitals publish prices far below the rest of the country. A separate physician fee may still apply.
Maryland law (Health-General §19-214.1) requires hospitals to give free medically necessary care to patients with family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and to cut the bill by 75% up to 250% and 60% up to 300%. With medical debt above 25% of family income in a year, discounts reach up to 500%. Immigration status does not count. Ask the hospital for its financial assistance application. Other states' laws.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 20600. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Sep 27, 2026. See them on a map
Hospitals in Maryland, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic General Hospital lowest Berlin · Ocean Pines, MD Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection, small joint or bursa (eg, fingers, toes); without ultrasound guidance | $124.00 | $124.00 | Apr 10, 2026 source file |
| The Kennedy Krieger Institute Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD HC ARTHROCENTESIS SMALL JOINT OR BURSA | $132.00 | $165.00 | Aug 27, 2026 source file |
| TidalHealth Peninsula Salisbury · Salisbury, MD HC MC EXCISE BENIGN LESION TURN, ARM,LEGS .6-1.0 CM | $168.51 | $171.95 | Mar 19, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ SMALL JT/BURSA W/O US | $192.19 | $196.11 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Union Hospital of Cecil County Elkton · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ARTHROCENTESIS,ASP/INJ,SMALL JOINT/BURSA,WO US GUID GLP | $246.71 | $246.71 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 2 | $132.00 | $162.10 |
| Ocean Pines, MD | 1 | $124.00 | $124.00 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1 | $246.71 | $246.71 |
| Salisbury, MD | 1 | $168.51 | $168.51 |
What joint injection (small joint) is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Joint injection (small joint) explained.
Joint injection or drainage, small joint (fingers, toes) in other states
- Alabama$385.00
- Alaska$350.03
- Arizona$362.61
- Arkansas$309.40
- California$728.00
- Colorado$390.50
- Connecticut$858.58
- Delaware$1,012.20, 4 hospitals
- District of Columbia$584.04, 3 hospitals
- Florida$550.80
- Georgia$496.26
- Hawaii$703.50
- Idaho$298.20
- Illinois$312.50
- Indiana$293.76
- Iowa$280.00
- Kansas$236.43
- Kentucky$208.80
- Louisiana$258.30
- Maine$203.26
- Massachusetts$541.00
- Michigan$338.00
- Minnesota$323.61
- Mississippi$250.64
- Missouri$273.48
- Montana$171.98
- Nebraska$222.31
- Nevada$333.00
- New Hampshire$258.88
- New Jersey$728.72
- New Mexico$376.80
- New York$449.22
- North Carolina$305.44
- North Dakota$285.83
- Ohio$493.50
- Oklahoma$243.43
- Oregon$313.76
- Pennsylvania$410.85
- Puerto Rico$2,100.00, 3 hospitals
- Rhode Island$925.00
- South Carolina$375.25
- South Dakota$478.69
- Tennessee$290.40
- Texas$430.75
- Utah$345.43
- Vermont$359.00
- Virginia$366.45
- Washington$379.08
- West Virginia$350.00
- Wisconsin$310.46
- Wyoming$243.00
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.