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Small Joint Injection With Ultrasound Guidance

North Carolina rates for HCPCS 20604

A clinician uses ultrasound imaging to guide a needle precisely into a small joint or its surrounding bursa, such as a joint in a finger or toe, either to draw out fluid for testing or to inject medication like a steroid. Watching the needle in real time on ultrasound helps ensure accurate placement in these smaller, harder-to-target joints. The imaging guidance and its documentation are included as part of this service.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Small Joint Injection With Ultrasound Guidance cost?

$87.10

Typical negotiated rate. In North Carolina, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $87.10 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $87.10 from a physician practice, and about $245 from a hospital or other facility. The two figures are alternatives, not parts of one bill.

These are rates insurers have negotiated with providers, not the amount a patient is billed. What you owe depends on your plan's deductible and coinsurance. Based on rates published by 7 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Where it's billed changes the price

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$87.10$67.61 to $141
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$245$79.43 to $1,047

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $245 · 10th to 90th $50 to $4,467Professionalmedian $87 · 10th to 90th $46 to $195
$50$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $245professional $87

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Each curve is scaled to its own total: facility and professional rates are different services, shown together to compare where they cluster. Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$79.43
Median
$794.33
Typical High
$5,495.41
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$45.71
Median
$83.18
Typical High
$199.53
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$128.82
Median
$239.88
Typical High
$338.84
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$77.62
Median
$91.20
Typical High
$158.49
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$60.26
Median
$109.65
Typical High
$186.21
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$70.79
Median
$87.10
Typical High
$602.56
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$53.70
Median
$91.20
Typical High
$158.49
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$186.21
Median
$186.21
Typical High
$186.21
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$45.71
Median
$79.43
Typical High
$128.82
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$208.93
Median
$891.25
Typical High
$1,995.26
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$42.66
Median
$70.79
Typical High
$125.89
Wellcare
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$56.23
Median
$309.03
Typical High
$309.03
Wellcare
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$602.56
Median
$602.56
Typical High
$691.83

Where North Carolina sits

The same service costs 2.3 times more in Wisconsin than in Kentucky. Every bar is a state, most expensive first. Touch or drag across it to read any state, then open that state for its carriers and full range.

North Carolina· 25th of 51

$87.10

WI $158KY $67.61

Median negotiated rate in each state, from every insurer that publishes one. States where no insurer publishes a rate for this service are not shown.