Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from small joint
Medicare pricing data for 40,472 providers across 52 states
Note: These costs reflect the Medicare physician/supplier component. Hospital facility fees are billed separately and can be 2-5x the physician fee.
💡 What You Should Know
Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from small joint (HCPCS code 20600) is a medical procedure billed to Medicare. The average Medicare-allowed cost is $46.49, but hospitals typically charge $195.71 — a 4.2x markup. Prices vary significantly by state and provider.
🏷️ Typical Out-of-Pocket Cost
Medicare patients typically pay about 20% of the allowed amount as coinsurance. Based on the average allowed cost of $46.49, your out-of-pocket cost would be approximately $9.30. Actual costs depend on your specific plan, deductible, and whether you've met your annual out-of-pocket maximum.
What Hospitals Charge vs. What Medicare Pays
Hospitals charge 4.2x more than what Medicare allows for this procedure. Medicare actually pays $34.40 on average.
Cost by State
Medicare-allowed amounts vary significantly by state
| State | Allowed Cost | Hospital Charge | Providers | Services | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $57 | $345 | 111 | 598 | +22.1% |
| New Jersey | $56 | $249 | 1,290 | 12,899 | +20.5% |
| New York | $54 | $192 | 2,193 | 28,112 | +16.3% |
| District of Columbia | $54 | $173 | 70 | 346 | +15.7% |
| Maryland | $53 | $176 | 808 | 7,767 | +13.7% |
| Connecticut | $51 | $243 | 441 | 3,844 | +8.7% |
| Massachusetts | $50 | $199 | 920 | 10,663 | +6.7% |
| Delaware | $49 | $246 | 141 | 2,677 | +6.4% |
| Pennsylvania | $49 | $158 | 2,106 | 21,015 | +4.9% |
| Colorado | $49 | $230 | 752 | 7,223 | +4.5% |
| California | $48 | $185 | 3,366 | 34,609 | +4.2% |
| New Hampshire | $48 | $235 | 233 | 2,162 | +2.5% |
| Illinois | $47 | $213 | 1,518 | 15,124 | +2.1% |
| Washington | $47 | $167 | 937 | 7,975 | +1.6% |
| Puerto Rico | $47 | $61 | 67 | 217 | +0.9% |
| Nevada | $46 | $265 | 308 | 3,296 | -0.4% |
| Rhode Island | $46 | $185 | 150 | 1,175 | -0.5% |
| Florida | $46 | $177 | 2,832 | 43,562 | -0.7% |
| Texas | $46 | $245 | 2,563 | 24,417 | -0.7% |
| Hawaii | $46 | $124 | 100 | 756 | -1.2% |
| Virginia | $46 | $197 | 1,085 | 12,571 | -2.1% |
| Oregon | $45 | $165 | 517 | 4,540 | -2.4% |
| Michigan | $45 | $123 | 1,352 | 14,513 | -2.6% |
| Louisiana | $45 | $220 | 543 | 4,291 | -3.7% |
| South Carolina | $45 | $167 | 712 | 9,851 | -3.8% |
| Oklahoma | $45 | $140 | 517 | 3,932 | -3.8% |
| Arizona | $45 | $173 | 976 | 13,551 | -3.9% |
| Alabama | $45 | $140 | 496 | 3,840 | -4.0% |
| Iowa | $45 | $218 | 476 | 5,106 | -4.2% |
| Wyoming | $45 | $212 | 124 | 923 | -4.3% |
| North Carolina | $44 | $194 | 1,530 | 14,439 | -4.5% |
| Arkansas | $44 | $159 | 385 | 4,292 | -4.9% |
| Indiana | $44 | $204 | 876 | 6,810 | -5.1% |
| Georgia | $44 | $235 | 1,115 | 12,727 | -5.5% |
| Montana | $44 | $136 | 209 | 2,104 | -5.5% |
| Kentucky | $44 | $176 | 598 | 7,021 | -6.4% |
| West Virginia | $43 | $167 | 221 | 1,798 | -7.8% |
| Wisconsin | $43 | $385 | 799 | 4,896 | -8.2% |
| Minnesota | $43 | $217 | 873 | 5,881 | -8.5% |
| Tennessee | $43 | $202 | 953 | 8,978 | -8.5% |
| Ohio | $42 | $196 | 1,616 | 14,911 | -9.1% |
| Utah | $42 | $148 | 525 | 4,004 | -9.4% |
| New Mexico | $42 | $165 | 230 | 2,347 | -10.0% |
| Kansas | $42 | $253 | 443 | 4,996 | -10.5% |
| Missouri | $41 | $251 | 827 | 8,995 | -11.0% |
| Mississippi | $41 | $175 | 314 | 3,682 | -11.4% |
| Maine | $39 | $112 | 162 | 1,025 | -15.3% |
| Idaho | $39 | $133 | 290 | 1,833 | -16.5% |
| South Dakota | $38 | $170 | 187 | 1,583 | -18.3% |
| Nebraska | $38 | $199 | 355 | 3,561 | -18.8% |
| Vermont | $37 | $159 | 77 | 643 | -20.9% |
| North Dakota | $35 | $205 | 171 | 1,850 | -24.8% |
⚠️ Important: These costs reflect the Medicare physician/supplier component. Hospital facility fees may be billed separately. Total out-of-pocket costs may be higher.
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