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Tennessee

Cost of a Joint Injection Visit
in Tennessee

Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC

Tennessee's healthcare costs run approximately 4% below the national average, making Joint Injection visits more affordable than many states. Patients typically pay between $42 and $111 for a joint injection procedure, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $67. With over 2,600 active Joint Injection providers across Tennessee, patients have substantial options when browsing all providers in the state.

Average

$74

Median

$67

Lowest

$42

Highest

$111

Providers

2,682

National avg: $120Tennessee: $74

39% below national average

Compare Similar Procedures

How does joint injection compare to related procedures in Tennessee?

ProcedureCPTLowMedianHighProviders
Skin Biopsy

Tangential biopsy of skin

11102$36$85$1602,458
Abscess Drainage (I&D)

Incision and drainage of abscess, simple

10060$83$118$2042,536
Blood Draw (Venipuncture)

Routine venipuncture for blood sample

36415$2$5$852,911

Important: These are cost estimates only — not a quote and not medical advice.

The prices on this page are self-pay rates, drawn from federal Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files (CPT 20610Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection, major joint). They represent what a patient might pay without insurance.

Your actual cost depends on: your specific insurance plan, your remaining deductible, your coinsurance percentage, whether you have met your out-of-pocket maximum, whether the facility and provider are both in-network, and any separate anesthesia or implant fees billed independently.

This page does not constitute medical advice. Whether you need this procedure, and which approach is right for you, is a decision to make with a licensed healthcare provider.

Where this data comes from & what CPT 20610 covers

Data source: Cost figures are derived from UnitedHealthcare Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files for CPT code 20610 (Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection, major joint), as mandated by the CMS Price Transparency Rule.

What CPT 20610 covers: the provider's professional fee for joint injection. It does not include facility/hospital fees, anesthesia, pre-operative imaging, post-operative care, or any add-on codes billed separately.

How to read this data

Negotiated Rate

The discounted price an insurer has agreed to pay a specific provider. Most insured patients' bills are calculated from this number, not the higher list price hospitals publish separately.

P5, Median, P95

P5 is the rate at the 5th percentile (low end), Median is the middle value, and P95 is the 95th percentile (high end). This range shows how much the same visit can vary between providers.

What this does not tell you

These rates do not tell you what you personally will pay out of pocket. That depends on your specific plan, how much of your deductible you have already met, your coinsurance rate, and whether the provider is in your network. Call your insurer's member line to get your exact estimate.

Why Joint Injection Visit Costs Vary Across Tennessee

Tennessee's healthcare costs run 4% below the national average, reflecting the state's moderate cost of living and competitive insurance market. The state's mix of major metropolitan areas like Nashville and Memphis alongside extensive rural regions creates significant cost variation across different markets.

Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability

Nashville and Memphis concentrate the majority of Tennessee's specialist providers, creating pricing competition that benefits patients. Rural areas often have limited Joint Injection specialists, requiring patients to travel to larger cities but potentially accessing lower-overhead independent practices. Eastern Tennessee's mountainous terrain can particularly limit specialist access.

Facility Type and Overhead Costs

Hospital systems like Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare operate higher-cost outpatient clinics, while independent orthopedic and rheumatology practices offer more competitive Joint Injection pricing. Ambulatory surgery centers throughout Tennessee provide middle-tier pricing with specialized injection suites. Rural hospitals often charge less than urban counterparts due to lower real estate and staffing costs.

Insurance Market Competition in Tennessee

BCBS Tennessee maintains the largest market share, followed by UnitedHealthCare and Cigna, creating moderate competition that helps control negotiated rates. The absence of Medicaid expansion concentrates more patients in commercial plans, strengthening insurers' negotiating power with providers. Rural areas often have fewer insurer options, potentially leading to higher costs in some markets.

Physician Supply and Demand in Tennessee

With over 2,600 active Joint Injection providers, Tennessee maintains adequate specialist supply relative to its population, helping control pricing through competition. Nashville's reputation as a healthcare hub attracts specialists, creating density that benefits cost competition. However, rural counties may still experience specialist shortages, leading to longer wait times but not necessarily higher costs.

JP

Jayant Panwar

CEO, Momentary Labs · San Francisco, CA

Jayant has analyzed healthcare pricing data from CMS Transparency in Coverage files since 2022, covering more than 50 million negotiated rate records across all 50 states. His work focuses on making insurer machine-readable files accessible to patients and researchers.

The cost figures on this page reflect his ongoing work to make this data accessible to patients.

Healthcare Data AnalyticsCMS TiC DataInsurance Price Transparency

Frequently Asked Questions — Joint Injection Costs in Tennessee

What is the average cost of a Joint Injection visit in Tennessee without insurance?

Uninsured patients in Tennessee typically pay between $42 and $111 for a joint injection, with a median cost of $67. These prices reflect negotiated insurance rates and represent what providers actually accept as payment. Many Tennessee providers offer cash-pay discounts of 20-40% off these rates for patients paying at the time of service.

Does Tennessee Medicaid cover Joint Injection visits?

TennCare (Tennessee's Medicaid program) covers medically necessary joint injections for eligible recipients, though the state has not expanded Medicaid coverage. Adults without dependent children and earning above traditional Medicaid limits may not qualify for coverage, creating a significant coverage gap. Those who do qualify typically have minimal out-of-pocket costs for covered joint injection procedures.

How do I find an affordable Joint Injection near me in Tennessee?

Compare costs between independent orthopedic practices and hospital-owned clinics, as independents often charge 30-50% less for the same procedure. Look into community health centers and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) throughout Tennessee, which offer sliding-scale fees based on income. Many providers offer cash-pay discounts and payment plans for uninsured or underinsured patients.

What is the difference in cost between an initial consultation and a follow-up visit?

Initial joint injection consultations typically involve comprehensive evaluation and the actual injection procedure, reflected in the $42-111 cost range. Follow-up visits may be less expensive if they only involve assessment without repeat injections. However, if follow-up visits include additional injections, costs remain similar to initial treatment visits.

Can I use an HSA or FSA to pay for a Joint Injection visit in Tennessee?

Joint injection visits qualify as eligible medical expenses for both HSA and FSA accounts when deemed medically necessary. You can use these pre-tax dollars to cover copays, deductibles, and the full cost of treatment for uninsured patients. Keep receipts and documentation from your Tennessee provider for reimbursement or direct payment purposes.

How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Joint Injection in Tennessee?

While joint injections require in-person procedures, initial consultations and follow-up visits can often be conducted via telemedicine at reduced costs. Tennessee has expanded telehealth coverage since 2020, with many insurers covering virtual visits at the same rate as in-person consultations. Telemedicine consultations typically cost $75-150, potentially saving money on initial evaluations before scheduling injection procedures.

Click a state to compare costs

Average Visit Cost

$64
$246

Office visit (CPT 20610)

Compare With Other States

RankStateAverage
1Wisconsin
Range: $72$487
$246
2Massachusetts
Range: $55$538
$227
3Minnesota
Range: $57$487
$224
4Rhode Island
Range: $42$538
$223
5Connecticut
Range: $44$538
$222
6Pennsylvania
Range: $43$538
$220
7Delaware
Range: $41$538
$220
8New York
Range: $44$538
$220
9Hawaii
Range: $52$487
$208
10North Dakota
Range: $44$307
$144
11Iowa
Range: $61$256
$142
12South Dakota
Range: $48$268
$134
13West Virginia
Range: $42$264
$131
14Michigan
Range: $45$254
$127
15New Hampshire
Range: $65$185
$122
16District of Columbia
Range: $40$221
$116
17Wyoming
Range: $60$201
$116
18Nebraska
Range: $56$155
$114
19Kentucky
Range: $48$209
$114
20Georgia
Range: $45$211
$114
21California
Range: $64$185
$112
22Idaho
Range: $51$202
$111
23Colorado
Range: $45$208
$111
24Indiana
Range: $50$191
$110
25Illinois
Range: $50$191
$108
26Maine
Range: $75$128
$105
27Oregon
Range: $58$167
$103
28New Jersey
Range: $34$205
$101
29Washington
Range: $62$152
$98
30North Carolina
Range: $45$158
$95
31New Mexico
Range: $51$141
$93
32Vermont
Range: $48$152
$92
33Utah
Range: $37$142
$90
34Maryland
Range: $39$167
$89
35Oklahoma
Range: $38$136
$87
36South Carolina
Range: $42$131
$83
37Texas
Range: $45$119
$83
38Mississippi
Range: $38$151
$82
39Montana
Range: $70$95
$82
40Alaska
Range: $80$85
$82
41Arkansas
Range: $47$116
$82
42Virginia
Range: $35$138
$80
43Nevada
Range: $35$140
$79
44Missouri
Range: $43$101
$77
45Louisiana
Range: $38$115
$75
46Ohio
Range: $38$106
$75
47Alabama
Range: $38$117
$74
48Tennessee
Range: $42$111
$74
49Kansas
Range: $43$100
$70
50Florida
Range: $35$109
$66
51Arizona
Range: $38$102
$64
Joint Injection in Other States