Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Colorado
In Colorado, 36 hospitals publish a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound: from $56.87 to $2,490.93, with a median of $344.34. The lowest price is at Craig Hospital (Englewood). The highest price is 43.8× the lowest.
- The median here, $344.34, is 22% below the US median of $439.76.
- That is 1.1× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($313.60).
- Colorado ranks 16th of 50 states by median, cheapest first.
- 8 of 36 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Colorado's Hospital Discounted Care law (HB21-1198): for qualifying patients with household income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level, hospitals and the clinicians who work in them may charge no more than the greater of the Medicare rate or the Medicaid base rate, and monthly payments are capped. That can be less than the cash prices below; ask the hospital to screen you for discounted care. Other states' laws.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 20610. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Nov 10, 2026. See them on a map
Lowest$56.87Craig Hospital
Median$344.34half of hospitals charge less
Highest$2,490.93in Colorado
Lowest saves$287.47vs the median
Hospitals in Colorado, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Hospital lowest Englewood · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HC INJECT/ASPIRATE MAJOR JOINT | $56.87 | $149.25 | Jun 25, 2026 source file |
| Yuma Disctrict Hospital Yuma · Yuma, CO 20610 Arthrocentesis Large Joint | $102.00 | $136.00 | May 28, 2026 source file |
| Aspen Valley Hospital District Aspen · Rifle, CO ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US - Facility Fee | $103.00 | $103.00 | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| Rangely Hospital District Rangely · Rangely, CO Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from large joint | $112.53 | $173.12 | Sep 24, 2026 source file |
| Vail Health Hospital Vail · Edwards, CO XR Arthrocentesis Aspiration or Injection | $138.75 | $185.00 | Aug 5, 2026 source file |
| Weisbrod Memorial County Hospital Luther Eads · Luther Eads, CO Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from large joint | $143.40 | $239.00 | Jun 29, 2026 source file |
| Denver Health and Hospital Authority Denver · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HC DRAIN/INJECT, JOINT/BURSA | $189.82 | $542.33 | Apr 30, 2026 source file |
| Community Hospital one side Grand Junction · Grand Junction, CO DRAIN/INJ JOINT/BURSA W/O US | $192.64 | $344.00 | Mar 13, 2026 source file |
| Haxtun Hospital District Haxtun · Haxtun, CO Drain/inj Joint/bursa W/o Us (F) | $206.00 | $275.00 | — source file |
| Grand River Medical Center Rifle · Rifle, CO DRAIN/INJ JOINT/BURSA W/O US | $212.50 | $425.00 | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
| Gunnison Valley Hospital Gunnison · Gunnison, CO Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from large joint | $213.35 | $251.00 | Jul 10, 2026 source file |
| Wray Community District Hospital Wray · Wray, CO Treatment Room/aspiration/inject major joint | $257.54 | $343.39 | Mar 1, 2024 source file |
| Delta County Memorial Hospital one side Delta · Delta, CO INJ DRAIN MAJOR JOINT LT | $278.36 | $695.89 | Aug 24, 2026 source file |
| Banner Fort Collins Medical Center one side Fort Collins · Fort Collins-Loveland, CO ASP&/INJ JT/BUR MAJ WO US GD RT | $300.62 | $763.00 | Sep 23, 2026 source file |
| San Luis Valley Health Alamosa · Alamosa, CO ARTHRO MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $311.85 | $567.00 | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| Delta Health Hospital one side Delta · Delta, CO SHOULDER INJECT RT | $312.33 | $520.55 | Apr 2, 2026 source file |
| Melissa Memorial Hospital Holyoke · Holyoke, CO Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from large joint | $331.20 | $414.00 | Nov 7, 2026 source file |
| Banner North Colorado Medical Center one side Greeley · Greeley, CO ASP&/INJ JT/BUR MAJ WO US GD LT | $341.06 | $763.00 | Sep 23, 2026 source file |
| Sterling Regional Medical Center one side Sterling · Sterling, CO ASP&/INJ JT/BUR MAJ WO US GD RT | $347.62 | $816.00 | Sep 23, 2026 source file |
| Family Health West Hospital one side Fruita · Grand Junction, CO HC MAJOR JOINT ASPRTN/INJ UNILATERAL W/O US GUIDE | $408.10 | $583.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| National Jewish Health one side Denver · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HC MAJOR JOINT ASPRTN/INJ UNILATERAL W/O US GUIDE | $499.80 | $714.00 | Mar 1, 2026 source file |
| East Morgan County Hospital one side Brush · Fort Morgan, CO ASP&/INJ JT/BUR MAJ WO US GD LT | $578.54 | $816.00 | Sep 23, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital Colorado Aurora · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HB=ARTHRO ASP/INJ MAJ JNT/BURSA WO US | $665.60 | $1,024.00 | Apr 17, 2026 source file |
| Pagosa Springs Medical Center Pagosa Springs · Pagosa Springs, CO Arthrocentesis Major Joint, Shoulder, Hip, Knee Charge | $684.72 | $855.90 | Sep 24, 2026 source file |
| Middle Park Health - Fraser Fraser · Fraser, CO HC INJ ASP JOINT MAJOR | $716.39 | $895.48 | Apr 28, 2026 source file |
| Middle Park Medical Center Kremmling · Kremmling, CO HC INJ ASP JOINT MAJOR | $716.39 | $895.48 | Apr 27, 2026 source file |
| Middle Park Medical Center-Granby Granby · Granby, CO HC INJ ASP JOINT MAJOR | $716.39 | $895.48 | Apr 27, 2026 source file |
| Boulder Community Health Boulder · Boulder, CO HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $1,076.50 | $2,153.00 | Sep 16, 2026 source file |
| Salida Hospital District one side Salida · Salida, CO Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from large joint | $1,184.90 | $1,394.00 | Jul 10, 2026 source file |
| Animas Surgical Hospital one side Durango · Durango, CO ASPIRATION AND/OR INJECTION OF FLUID FROM LARGE JOINT | $1,304.00 | $1,304.00 | Mar 16, 2026 source file |
| Lincoln Health one side Hugo · Hugo, CO Drain/inj joint/bursa w/o us | $1,497.07 | $1,497.07 | Jun 4, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Avista Louisville · Boulder, CO HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $2,490.93 | $2,490.93 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Castle Rock Castle Rock · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $2,490.93 | $2,490.93 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Littleton Littleton · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $2,490.93 | $2,490.93 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Parker Parker · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $2,490.93 | $2,490.93 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Porter Denver · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR&/INJ MAJOR JT/BURSA W/O US | $2,490.93 | $2,490.93 | Apr 1, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 8 | $56.87 | $1,578.26 |
| Boulder, CO | 2 | $1,076.50 | $1,783.72 |
| Delta, CO | 2 | $278.36 | $295.34 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 2 | $192.64 | $300.37 |
| Rifle, CO | 2 | $103.00 | $157.75 |
| Alamosa, CO | 1 | $311.85 | $311.85 |
| Durango, CO | 1 | $1,304.00 | $1,304.00 |
| Edwards, CO | 1 | $138.75 | $138.75 |
| Fraser, CO | 1 | $716.39 | $716.39 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 1 | $300.62 | $300.62 |
| Fort Morgan, CO | 1 | $578.54 | $578.54 |
| Granby, CO | 1 | $716.39 | $716.39 |
| Gunnison, CO | 1 | $213.35 | $213.35 |
| Greeley, CO | 1 | $341.06 | $341.06 |
| Haxtun, CO | 1 | $206.00 | $206.00 |
| Holyoke, CO | 1 | $331.20 | $331.20 |
| Hugo, CO | 1 | $1,497.07 | $1,497.07 |
| Kremmling, CO | 1 | $716.39 | $716.39 |
| Luther Eads, CO | 1 | $143.40 | $143.40 |
| Pagosa Springs, CO | 1 | $684.72 | $684.72 |
| Rangely, CO | 1 | $112.53 | $112.53 |
| Salida, CO | 1 | $1,184.90 | $1,184.90 |
| Sterling, CO | 1 | $347.62 | $347.62 |
| Wray, CO | 1 | $257.54 | $257.54 |
| Yuma, CO | 1 | $102.00 | $102.00 |
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 (cortisone shot) is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Joint injection (cortisone shot) explained.
Injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound in other states
- Alabama$385.00
- Alaska$418.00
- Arizona$567.43
- Arkansas$399.31
- California$951.60
- Connecticut$652.05
- Delaware$960.45
- District of Columbia$557.92, 3 hospitals
- Florida$668.20
- Georgia$905.19
- Hawaii$599.25
- Idaho$305.00
- Illinois$494.00
- Indiana$412.92
- Iowa$354.00
- Kansas$342.23
- Kentucky$391.16
- Louisiana$258.30
- Maine$269.32
- Maryland$240.42
- Massachusetts$566.25
- Michigan$422.07
- Minnesota$362.85
- Mississippi$248.95
- Missouri$290.88
- Montana$275.85
- Nebraska$198.69
- Nevada$333.00
- New Hampshire$336.29
- New Jersey$1,065.25
- New Mexico$427.38
- New York$505.82
- North Carolina$418.80
- North Dakota$303.20
- Ohio$696.00
- Oklahoma$366.05
- Oregon$312.00
- Pennsylvania$468.12
- Puerto Rico$2,100.00, 3 hospitals
- Rhode Island$1,510.00
- South Carolina$646.52
- South Dakota$688.00
- Tennessee$343.47
- Texas$592.44
- Utah$460.95
- Vermont$681.90
- Virginia$387.46
- Washington$484.86
- West Virginia$343.50
- Wisconsin$399.36
- Wyoming$408.00
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.