Joint injection (cortisone shot) cost in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, 33 hospitals publish a cash price for injection or fluid drainage of a major joint (knee, shoulder, hip), no ultrasound: from $86.45 to $3,625.00, with a median of $566.25. The lowest price is at Berkshire Medical Center (Pittsfield) and 2 other hospitals. The highest price is 41.9× the lowest.
- The median here, $566.25, is 29% above the US median of $439.76.
- That is 1.8× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($313.60).
- Massachusetts ranks 36th of 50 states by median, cheapest first.
- 18 of 33 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 20610. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Oct 17, 2026. See them on a map
Lowest$86.45Berkshire Medical Center + 2 more
Median$566.25half of hospitals charge less
Highest$3,625.00in Massachusetts
Lowest saves$479.80vs the median
Hospitals in Massachusetts, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkshire Medical Center one side lowest Pittsfield · Pittsfield, MA Drn/Inj Mjr Jt/Brsa w/o US Rt - Professional Charg | $86.45 | $91.00 | Oct 9, 2026 source file |
| Fairview Hospital one side lowest Great Barrington · Pittsfield, MA Drn/Inj Mjr Jt/Brsa w/o US Lt - Professional Charg | $86.45 | $91.00 | Oct 7, 2026 source file |
| North Adams Regional Hospital one side lowest North Adams · Pittsfield, MA Drn/Inj Mjr Jt/Brsa w/o US Lt - Professional Charg | $86.45 | $91.00 | Oct 9, 2026 source file |
| Boston Medical Center South Brockton · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $249.67 | $554.82 | Mar 13, 2026 source file |
| Boston Medical Center Brighton Boston · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $261.17 | $580.37 | Mar 13, 2026 source file |
| The Mercy Hospital one side Springfield · Springfield, MA HC Arthrocentesis/Aspiration/Inj Major Joint/Bursa W/O US Guidance Lt | $313.30 | $482.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Boston Medical Center Boston · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $342.45 | $761.00 | Mar 13, 2026 source file |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Plymouth Plymouth · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR AND OR INJ MAJOR JOINT BURSA WO US | $372.00 | $372.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Melrosewakefield Healthcare Melrose · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $374.50 | $535.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Holyoke Medical Center Holyoke · Springfield, MA Drain/inj joint/bursa w/o us | $395.00 | $395.00 | May 1, 2026 source file |
| Tufts Medical Center Boston · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $451.50 | $645.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Milford Regional Medical Center Milford · Worcester, MA Arthrocentesis Major Joint | $459.00 | $459.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Lowell General Hospital Lowell · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Arthrocentesis Aspir&/Inj Major Jt/Bursa W/O US | $478.10 | $683.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Cambridge Health Alliance Cambridge · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Arthrocentesis Aspir, Large Joint/Bursa W/O US | $500.00 | $500.00 | Mar 20, 2026 source file |
| Winchester Hospital Winchester · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR AND OR INJ MAJOR JOINT BURSA WO US | $536.00 | $536.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham Needham · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR AND OR INJ MAJOR JOINT BURSA WO US | $541.00 | $541.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Emerson Hospital Concord · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH ARTHR ASP&INJ MAJ JT/BUR | $566.25 | $755.00 | May 18, 2026 source file |
| Southcoast Hospitals Group Fall River · Providence-Warwick, RI-MA HC Drain/Inject Large Joint/Bursa | $598.50 | $1,197.00 | Dec 15, 2025 source file |
| Southcoast Hospitals Group - St. Luke's Hospital St. New Bedford · Providence-Warwick, RI-MA HC Drain/Inject Large Joint/Bursa | $598.50 | $1,197.00 | Dec 15, 2025 source file |
| Southcoast Hospitals Group - Tobey Hospital Campus Wareham · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Drain/Inject Large Joint/Bursa | $598.50 | $1,197.00 | Dec 15, 2025 source file |
| Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital Brockton · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH DRN/INJ; MJR JNT/BURSA W/O US | $611.10 | $873.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Brown University Health Morton Hospital Taunton · Providence-Warwick, RI-MA HC INJ ASP MAJOR JOINT | $642.69 | $642.69 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Saint Anne's Hospital Fall River · Providence-Warwick, RI-MA HC INJ ASP MAJOR JOINT | $666.20 | $666.20 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Anna Jaques Hospital Newburyport · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR AND OR INJ MAJOR JOINT BURSA WO US | $667.00 | $667.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UMass Memorial Health - Harrington Hospital one side Southbridge · Worcester, MA HC Arthrocentesis, Aspiration/Injection Major Joint or Bursa W/O US Guid|RIGHT SIDE | $766.00 | $766.00 | Apr 3, 2026 source file |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton Milton · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR AND OR INJ MAJOR JOINT BURSA WO US | $800.00 | $800.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| HealthAlliance - Clinton Hospital Leominster · Worcester, MA HC Arthrocentesis, Aspiration/Injection Major Joint or Bursa W/O US Guid | $875.00 | $875.00 | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Boston · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR AND OR INJ MAJOR JOINT BURSA WO US | $889.00 | $889.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mount Auburn Hospital Cambridge · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR AND OR INJ MAJOR JOINT BURSA WO US | $1,062.00 | $1,062.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Burlington Burlington · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR AND OR INJ MAJOR JOINT BURSA WO US | $1,386.00 | $1,386.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UMass Memorial Medical Center Worcester · Worcester, MA HC Arthrocentesis, Aspiration/Injection Major Joint or Bursa W/O US Guid | $1,394.00 | $1,394.00 | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| Shriners Childrens - Boston Boston · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH DRAIN/INJ JOINT/BURSA W/O US | $1,636.23 | $1,636.23 | Mar 17, 2026 source file |
| New England Baptist Hospital Boston · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC ARTHROCENTESIS ASPIR AND OR INJ MAJOR JOINT BURSA WO US | $3,625.00 | $3,625.00 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 20 | $249.67 | $553.62 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 4 | $598.50 | $620.60 |
| Worcester, MA | 4 | $459.00 | $820.50 |
| Pittsfield, MA | 3 | $86.45 | $86.45 |
| Springfield, MA | 2 | $313.30 | $354.15 |
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
- Colorado$344.34
- 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
- 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.