Cortisone Shot Cost in Kentucky (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a cortisone shot cost in Kentucky?
Where you have a cortisone shot done in Kentucky swings the bill from $124 to $314 for identical care. The median cash price across 61 reporting hospitals is $246. The numbers are pulled directly from federally mandated hospital price transparency files. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.
Three low-priced facilities in Kentucky, from hospital price files
- Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc. $73
- ARH Tug Valley Health Services, Inc. $73
- Highlands ARH Regional Medical Center $73
All 61 facilities are listed below, free.
Where cortisone shot costs vary in Kentucky
Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby ambulatory surgery centers and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.
26+ people checked prices near them this month.
What you pay for a cortisone shot depends on where you go and what is billed separately. Most patients find out after.
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Cheapest Cortisone Shot Providers in Kentucky
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs median ($246) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc. | KY | $73 | $173 below |
| 2 | ARH Tug Valley Health Services, Inc. | KY | $73 | $173 below |
| 3 | Highlands ARH Regional Medical Center | KY | $73 | $173 below |
| 4 | UofL Health | Louisville, KY | $75 | $171 below |
| 5 | Caldwell County Hospital, Inc. | Princeton, KY | $78 | $168 below |
| 6 | CCMH CORPORATION | Carrollton, KY | $87 | $159 below |
| 7 | Jane Todd Crawford Memorial Hospital, Inc. | KY | $92 | $154 below |
| 8 | CHI Saint Joseph Health - Flaget Memorial Hospital | Bardstown, KY | $106 | $140 below |
Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.
Before you book: three questions that change the price
- Is this the self-pay price, and does it include the doctor, anesthesia and any lab or pathology? Those are often billed separately.
- Can you give me the price in writing, with the billing codes it covers?
- What happens to the price if something extra is needed during the procedure?
Estimate your out-of-pocket cost → · When the bills arrive, we check them for errors →
Quick take
- Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc. is the lowest-cost option at $73 - $173 below the median posted price ($246), just by choosing where you go.
- Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $246, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
- This dataset covers hospitals only - freestanding ASCs, which routinely run 30-60% cheaper for the same procedure, aren't included, so it's worth asking your doctor whether one is an option.
| Coverage | Hospitals with a rate | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare (national rate) | — | $314 to $517 | $314 |
| With insurance (commercial, average) | 50 | $91 to $1,916 | $331 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 80 | $73 to $469 | $246 |
| Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | 47 | $101 to $3,386 | $382 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 39 | $32 to $1,771 | $221 |
| Cigna | 30 | $178 to $3,140 | $435 |
| Aetna | 29 | $171 to $631 | $310 |
Rates are negotiated allowed amounts and cash prices from hospital price-transparency files (October 2026), shown at each hospital’s lowest-priced typical billing code for this procedure. Facility fees only. The typical range is the middle 80% of hospitals, not a quote for your visit.
How much does a cortisone shot cost with Medicare in Kentucky?
Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for cortisone shot is about $314 to $517 (typically near $314). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $63 on a $314 payment, with no out-of-pocket cap unless you have supplemental coverage or a Medicare Advantage plan.
Doctor, anesthesia and pathology fees are billed separately. Medicare rates are national CMS amounts, adjusted slightly by local wage levels.
How much does a cortisone shot cost with insurance in Kentucky?
Across 50 Kentucky hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for cortisone shot average $91 to $1,916 per hospital, with a median near $331. That is the amount your plan and you pay the hospital together; you owe your deductible, then coinsurance, up to your out-of-pocket maximum.
Each hospital’s figure is the average of the commercial insurers it lists. Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid rates are excluded.
How much does a cortisone shot cost without insurance in Kentucky?
Cash (self-pay) prices for cortisone shot at 80 Kentucky hospitals range from $73 to $469, with a median of $246. Ask for the cash or self-pay price and for any financial-assistance discount before you book; both can be lower than the posted price.
Cash prices are the hospital’s published discounted rate for patients paying without insurance.
How much does a cortisone shot cost with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky?
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield negotiated rates for cortisone shot at 47 Kentucky hospitals range from $101 to $3,386, with a median near $382. Your own cost depends on your plan’s deductible and coinsurance, and on whether the hospital is in your network.
Includes Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Anthem plans listed by each hospital.
How much does a cortisone shot cost with UnitedHealthcare in Kentucky?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for cortisone shot at 39 Kentucky hospitals range from $32 to $1,771, with a median near $221. If a hospital is out of network for your UnitedHealthcare plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
How much does a cortisone shot cost with Cigna in Kentucky?
Cigna negotiated rates for cortisone shot at 30 Kentucky hospitals range from $178 to $3,140, with a median near $435. If a hospital is out of network for your Cigna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
How much does a cortisone shot cost with Aetna in Kentucky?
Aetna negotiated rates for cortisone shot at 29 Kentucky hospitals range from $171 to $631, with a median near $310. If a hospital is out of network for your Aetna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
How where you go changes what you pay for cortisone shot
The same cortisone shot bundles different services depending on the setting - facility fee, surgeon fee, and anesthesia each arrive as separate bills. Estimated ranges below reflect the typical full bundled cost, including all expected charges.
- Facility fee $51–$2,232
- Professional fee $53–$228
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- Facility fee $55–$652
- Professional fee $53–$228
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
Norton Healthcare and Baptist Health dominate Louisville, while UK HealthCare (University of Kentucky) and CHI Saint Joseph anchor the Lexington market. Kentucky has historically had high uninsured rates and elevated uncompensated care loads, which influences charity care policies and cash price discounting practices at many facilities.
Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go → Managing more than one bill? See the family tracker →
Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage
A small number of hospitals (7) report prices above $643, including Bluegrass Community Hospital at $977, which drives most of the overall spread - excluding them, most facilities cluster in a much tighter band. Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $246 versus $90 inpatient, so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick.
On top of the facility price, your actual bill depends on your deductible, your out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved - not just the facility - is in-network.
| Your situation | Estimated out-of-pocket |
|---|---|
| Deductible not yet met | ~$246 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$49 |
| Out-of-network provider | $541+ |
Frequently asked questions: cortisone shot costs in Kentucky
How much does a cortisone shot cost in Kentucky?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $114, with most facilities between $47 and $215 (based on 61 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of Kentucky hospitals run $73–$469; outlier facilities above and below that range are left out. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.
Where is the cheapest place to get a cortisone shot in Kentucky?
Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our Kentucky data is Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc. at about $73. By metro, Louisville has the lowest median ($195). Freestanding ambulatory surgery centers are often cheaper still and may not appear in hospital price data - ask your doctor whether one is an option.
Why is a cortisone shot so much cheaper at some Kentucky hospitals?
Typical prices vary about 4.6× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Kentucky, the median cash (self-pay) price is $246 versus a median negotiated rate of $331 - cash is the lower number at many hospitals. Asking for the cash price as well as your insurer's negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on what you pay.
How much will I actually pay out of pocket for a cortisone shot in Kentucky?
Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and whether the facility is in-network - not just the sticker price. If you have not met your deductible, you will typically pay the negotiated rate in full until you do. Use the CostKits cost forecaster to estimate your specific out-of-pocket amount before you go.
Before you book
- Allowed amount vs negotiated rate: what your EOB is really saying
- How to read your medical bill
- Deductible vs out-of-pocket max
- Already have a bill? Check it for errors
- How to read a Medicare Summary Notice
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CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account).
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About the Author
John Caruso, FSA, MAAA
Healthcare actuary with 20+ years of experience in insurance pricing, medical billing systems, and healthcare cost analytics.
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