Joint injection (medium joint) cost in Louisiana
In Louisiana, 52 hospitals publish a cash price for joint injection or drainage, medium joint (wrist, elbow, ankle): from $42.00 to $33,946.10, with a median of $258.30. The lowest price is at Ochsner American Legion Hospital (Jennings). The highest price is 808.2× the lowest.
- The median here, $258.30, is 32% below the US median of $379.80.
- That is 0.8× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($313.60).
- Louisiana ranks 7th of 50 states by median, cheapest first.
- 3 of 52 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 20605. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Nov 10, 2026. See them on a map
Lowest$42.00Ochsner American Legion Hospital
Median$258.30half of hospitals charge less
Highest$33,946.10in Louisiana
Lowest saves$216.30vs the median
Hospitals in Louisiana, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ochsner American Legion Hospital lowest Jennings · Lake Charles, LA PR DRAIN/INJECT INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $42.00 | $100.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Ochsner Clinic Foundation New Orleans · New Orleans-Metairie, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $72.16 | $328.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Touro Infirmary New Orleans · New Orleans-Metairie, LA Aspiration and/or Injection of Medium Joint or Joint Capsule | $73.50 | $525.00 | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Bayou Bend Health System Franklin · Morgan City, LA Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from medium joint | $76.30 | $109.00 | Sep 15, 2026 source file |
| West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero · New Orleans-Metairie, LA Aspiration and/or Injection of Medium Joint or Joint Capsule | $79.84 | $499.00 | Jun 30, 2026 source file |
| Madison Parish Hospital Tallulah · Tallulah, LA ARTHROCENTESIS, ASPIRATION AND | $86.69 | $173.37 | May 19, 2026 source file |
| Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge Baton Rouge · Baton Rouge, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $99.84 | $312.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport Shreveport · Shreveport-Bossier City, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $104.26 | $401.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Bunkie General Hospital Bunkie · Bunkie, LA ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIRATION; INTERMEDIATE | $110.44 | $110.44 | Mar 16, 2026 source file |
| Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport - St. Mary Medical Center Shreveport · Shreveport-Bossier City, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $112.28 | $401.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Ochsner St. Martin Hospital Breaux Bridge · Lafayette, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $120.30 | $401.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner Kenner · New Orleans-Metairie, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $127.96 | $457.00 | Sep 16, 2026 source file |
| New Orleans East Hospital New Orleans · New Orleans-Metairie, LA Aspiration and/or Injection of Medium Joint or Joint Capsule | $140.48 | $878.00 | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
| Lasalle General Hospital Jena · Jena, LA ARTHO INTERMEDIATE | $150.00 | $250.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette · Lafayette, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $167.37 | $797.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| St Helena Parish Hospital Greensburg · Baton Rouge, LA ASP/INJ ACROCLAVICULAR WRIST ELBOW ANK | $171.00 | $171.00 | Jun 18, 2026 source file |
| St Charles Parish Hospital Luling · New Orleans-Metairie, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $181.17 | $671.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Ochsner LSU Health Monroe Monroe · Monroe, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $186.07 | $809.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Acadian Medical Center Eunice · Lafayette, LA DRAIN/INJECT JOINT/BURSA | $186.75 | $622.50 | Jun 9, 2026 source file |
| Ochsner University Hospital & Clinics Lafayette · Lafayette, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $208.26 | $801.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| University Med Center New Orleans · New Orleans-Metairie, LA Aspiration and/or Injection of Medium Joint or Joint Capsule | $217.58 | $989.00 | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Leonard J Chabert Medical Center Houma · Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $223.72 | $476.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sterling Surgical Hospital Slidell · Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA 20605 - DRAIN/INJ JOINT/BURSA W/O US | $237.94 | $8,699.44 | Aug 11, 2026 source file |
| Springhill Medical Center Springhill · Minden, LA ARTHROCENTESIS AND/OR INJ MED JOINT/BURS | $238.71 | $702.09 | Mar 22, 2026 source file |
| East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie · New Orleans-Metairie, LA Aspiration and/or Injection of Medium Joint or Joint Capsule | $258.30 | $1,845.00 | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Lakeside Hospital Metairie · New Orleans-Metairie, LA Aspiration and/or Injection of Medium Joint or Joint Capsule | $258.30 | $1,845.00 | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Lakeview Hospital Covington · Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA Aspiration and/or Injection of Medium Joint or Joint Capsule | $258.30 | $1,845.00 | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Tulane Medical Center New Orleans · New Orleans-Metairie, LA Aspiration and/or Injection of Medium Joint or Joint Capsule | $258.30 | $1,845.00 | Jun 25, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital New Orleans · New Orleans-Metairie, LA Aspiration and/or Injection of Medium Joint or Joint Capsule | $258.66 | $958.00 | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
| Ochsner St Anne General Hospital Raceland · Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $269.72 | $613.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Natchitoches Regional Medical Center Natchitoches · Natchitoches, LA ARTHROCE/ASP/INJ INTERMED | $275.20 | $688.00 | Mar 18, 2026 source file |
| Glenwood Regional Medical Center - HSA one side West Monroe · Monroe, LA DRN/INJ INT JNT/BRSA WO US RT | $279.24 | $769.15 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| St Bernard Parish Hospital Chalmette · New Orleans-Metairie, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $313.28 | $979.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Franklin Medical Center Winnsboro · Winnsboro, LA ARTHROCENTESIS, ASPIRATION AND /OR INJECTION, INTERMEDIATE J | $331.20 | $552.00 | May 21, 2026 source file |
| Terrebonne General Medical Center - Parish Houma · Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $366.08 | $494.50 | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| West Feliciana Parish Hospital St Francisville · Baton Rouge, LA CLIN FAC ARTHRO JOINT BURSA INTERM | $373.80 | $623.00 | May 11, 2026 source file |
| St. Frances Cabrini Hospital Alexandria · Alexandria, LA HC 20605 ASP/INJ INTMED JNT/BURSA W/O US GDE | $390.26 | $1,501.00 | Jan 13, 2026 source file |
| Richland Parish Hospital-Delhi Delhi · Monroe, LA Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from medium joint | $419.90 | $646.00 | Oct 27, 2026 source file |
| Lallie Kemp Regional Medical Center Independence · Hammond, LA DRAIN/INJ JOINT/BURSA W/O US | $424.70 | $707.83 | Feb 24, 2026 source file |
| Opelousas General Main Campus Opelousas · Opelousas, LA Intermediate Aspiration/Inj w/o US | $463.50 | $927.00 | Mar 5, 2026 source file |
| Northern Louisiana Medical Center Ruston · Ruston, LA INJ/ASP INTERMEDIATE JOINT | $473.00 | $860.00 | Jun 19, 2026 source file |
| Baton Rouge General Medical Center Baton Rouge · Baton Rouge, LA DRAIN/INJ JOINT/BURSA W/O US | $475.97 | $679.95 | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles · Lake Charles, LA Draining or injecting medication into a large joint/bursa without ultrasound | $480.00 | $800.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Physicians Medical Center F Houma · Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA INJECTION-INTERMEDIATE JOINT-ANKLE | $533.07 | $769.00 | Sep 24, 2026 source file |
| North Oaks Medical Center Drive. Hammond · Hammond, LA HC Arthrocentesis/Asp/Inj W/O US Guidance, Interm Jnt | $582.62 | $2,514.00 | Oct 20, 2026 source file |
| Hardtner Medical Center Olla · Olla, LA 20605 Intermediate Jt/Bursa Injection Charge | $588.00 | $735.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Ochsner St Mary Morgan City · Baton Rouge, LA HC ARTHOCENTESIS, INTERMEDIATE JOINT/BURSA | $631.20 | $3,156.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Louisiana Extended Care of Natchitoches Natchitoches · Natchitoches, LA ARTHROCE/ASP/INJ INTERMED | $723.00 | $723.00 | Oct 25, 2026 source file |
| Willis Knighton Medical Center Shreveport · Shreveport-Bossier City, LA Asp Inject Interm Joint/Bursa | $810.40 | $1,013.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Surgical Specialty Center one side Baton Rouge · Baton Rouge, LA INJ/ASP R WRI/ELB/ANKL | $1,074.75 | $1,433.00 | Mar 30, 2026 source file |
| Reeves Memorial Medical Center Bernice · Monroe, LA DRAIN/INJ INTERM JNT/BURS | $1,132.50 | $2,265.00 | Aug 26, 2026 source file |
| Omega Hospital Metairie · New Orleans-Metairie, LA ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ INTERM JT/BURS W/O US | $33,946.10 | $58,193.31 | May 26, 2026 source file |
Hospital The hospital that published the price, its city and the line exactly as written in its price file.
Cash price The hospital's own price for a patient paying without insurance (“discounted cash” in its price file). Hospitals must publish it under federal law, 45 CFR 180.50. Call to confirm it before booking. More
List price The hospital's full chargemaster price (“gross charge”) before any discount. Almost nobody pays it; the gap to the cash price shows what the self-pay discount is worth. More
File date When the hospital last updated its price file, as the file says itself. A dash means the file gives no date.
At or below Medicare This cash price is at or below what Medicare pays a hospital for the same service, which is unusually low. It is what the hospital's file says; confirm it and what it includes before booking. More
No cash discount This line's cash price equals the hospital's full list price. Many hospitals still reduce bills for uninsured patients: ask the billing office for its self-pay discount in writing. More
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 13 | $72.16 | $217.58 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 6 | $99.84 | $424.88 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | 4 | $223.72 | $317.90 |
| Lafayette, LA | 4 | $120.30 | $177.06 |
| Monroe, LA | 4 | $186.07 | $349.57 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 3 | $104.26 | $112.28 |
| Hammond, LA | 2 | $424.70 | $503.66 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 2 | $42.00 | $261.00 |
| Natchitoches, LA | 2 | $275.20 | $499.10 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | 2 | $237.94 | $248.12 |
| Alexandria, LA | 1 | $390.26 | $390.26 |
| Bunkie, LA | 1 | $110.44 | $110.44 |
| Jena, LA | 1 | $150.00 | $150.00 |
| Minden, LA | 1 | $238.71 | $238.71 |
| Morgan City, LA | 1 | $76.30 | $76.30 |
| Olla, LA | 1 | $588.00 | $588.00 |
| Opelousas, LA | 1 | $463.50 | $463.50 |
| Ruston, LA | 1 | $473.00 | $473.00 |
| Tallulah, LA | 1 | $86.69 | $86.69 |
| Winnsboro, LA | 1 | $331.20 | $331.20 |
Market A metro area (as the Census Bureau defines it) or, outside metro areas, a town. Each links to every hospital price there.
Hospitals How many hospitals publish a cash price for this code here. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price.
Lowest The lowest cash price among those hospitals.
Median The middle cash price: half of the hospitals charge less, half charge more. One price per hospital. More
What joint injection (medium joint) is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Joint injection (medium joint) explained.
Joint injection or drainage, medium joint (wrist, elbow, ankle) in other states
- Alabama$336.00
- Alaska$364.35
- Arizona$442.28
- Arkansas$359.12
- California$608.40
- Colorado$375.15
- Connecticut$629.63
- Delaware$873.97
- District of Columbia$639.39, 3 hospitals
- Florida$570.85
- Georgia$753.87
- Hawaii$688.10
- Idaho$261.70
- Illinois$415.00
- Indiana$427.50
- Iowa$346.20
- Kansas$273.45
- Kentucky$208.80
- Maine$190.55
- Maryland$212.50
- Massachusetts$541.00
- Michigan$325.00
- Minnesota$305.21
- Mississippi$220.20
- Missouri$338.65
- Montana$205.00
- Nebraska$255.72
- Nevada$333.00
- New Hampshire$275.90
- New Jersey$857.43
- New Mexico$362.56
- New York$457.50
- North Carolina$346.50
- North Dakota$307.63
- Ohio$616.97
- Oklahoma$269.82
- Oregon$343.85
- Pennsylvania$353.80
- Puerto Rico$2,100.00, 3 hospitals
- Rhode Island$1,480.00
- South Carolina$436.20
- South Dakota$484.80
- Tennessee$292.60
- Texas$588.53
- Utah$391.47
- Vermont$278.32
- Virginia$421.50
- Washington$457.47
- West Virginia$343.50
- Wisconsin$320.12
- Wyoming$292.50
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.