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Reviewed by John Caruso, FSA, MAAA • Data last updated

Epidural Steroid Injection Cost in California (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a epidural steroid injection cost in California?

The same epidural steroid injection in California might cost you $686 at one facility and $1,341 at another - the building you walk into drives the difference. The median cash price across 215 reporting hospitals is $907. These figures come straight from hospital price transparency files published under federal law. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.

Once you have a bill or an appointment on the calendar, CostKits can help you keep it all organized.

Where epidural steroid injection costs vary in California

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.

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What you pay for a epidural steroid injection depends on where you go and what is billed separately. Most patients find out after.

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Cheapest Epidural Steroid Injection Providers in California

Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.

# Facility City Price vs median ($907)
1 Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula Monterey, CA $239 $668 below
2 Loma Linda University Medical Center Loma Linda, CA $246 $661 below
3 Martin Luther King, Jr Los Angeles MLKLA Healthcare Corporation Los Angeles, CA $249 $658 below
4 Mercy Medical Center Mt. Shasta Mt Shasta, CA $268 $639 below
5 St. Elizabeth Community Hospital Red Bluff, CA $281 $626 below
6 Bear Valley Healthcare District Po Box 1649, CA $301 $606 below
7 DIGNITY HEALTH Redding, CA $305 $602 below
8 Valley Presbyterian Hospital Van Nuys, CA $306 $601 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

  1. Is this the self-pay price, and does it include the doctor, anesthesia and any lab or pathology? Those are often billed separately.
  2. Can you give me the price in writing, with the billing codes it covers?
  3. 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

  • Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula is the lowest-cost option at $239 - $668 below the median posted price ($907), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $907, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
  • Ask whether this procedure can be done at a freestanding ambulatory surgical center - they're typically 30-60% cheaper than a hospital for identical care, and most aren't in this hospital-only dataset.
Epidural steroid injection prices by coverage in California, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$721 to $904$812
With insurance (commercial, average)202$779 to $3,827$2,043
Without insurance (cash price)230$198 to $2,016$907
Anthem Blue Cross150$409 to $4,799$1,964
Aetna107$277 to $7,890$2,070
Cigna82$215 to $3,760$1,849
UnitedHealthcare62$394 to $4,170$1,907

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 an epidural steroid injection cost with Medicare in California?

Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for epidural steroid injection is about $721 to $904 (typically near $812). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $162 on a $812 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 an epidural steroid injection cost with insurance in California?

Across 202 California hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for epidural steroid injection average $779 to $3,827 per hospital, with a median near $2,043. 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 an epidural steroid injection cost without insurance in California?

Cash (self-pay) prices for epidural steroid injection at 230 California hospitals range from $198 to $2,016, with a median of $907. 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 an epidural steroid injection cost with Anthem Blue Cross in California?

Anthem Blue Cross negotiated rates for epidural steroid injection at 150 California hospitals range from $409 to $4,799, with a median near $1,964. 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 an epidural steroid injection cost with Aetna in California?

Aetna negotiated rates for epidural steroid injection at 107 California hospitals range from $277 to $7,890, with a median near $2,070. 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 much does an epidural steroid injection cost with Cigna in California?

Cigna negotiated rates for epidural steroid injection at 82 California hospitals range from $215 to $3,760, with a median near $1,849. 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 an epidural steroid injection cost with UnitedHealthcare in California?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for epidural steroid injection at 62 California hospitals range from $394 to $4,170, with a median near $1,907. 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 where you go changes what you pay for epidural steroid injection

The same epidural steroid injection 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.

Hospital Outpatient
$265–$7,066
  • Facility fee $151–$6,550
  • Professional fee $114–$516

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$265–$7,066
  • Facility fee $151–$6,550
  • Professional fee $114–$516

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

California has the most competitive commercial hospital market in the country, with aggressive multi-system competition in every major metro driving meaningful price variation. Kaiser Permanente's integrated payer-provider model covers roughly 40% of the insured population in the state - if you're Kaiser-enrolled, the prices here largely don't apply. California's robust price transparency enforcement under SB 1204 means the data here is more complete than in most states.

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 (20) report prices above $2,684, including Shriners Childrens - Northern California at $5,527, 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 $907 versus $1,341 inpatient (about 1.5× more), so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick.

What you pay out of pocket on top of this depends on your deductible, your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved is in-network - not just the facility.

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met ~$907
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$181
Out-of-network provider $1,995+

Frequently asked questions: epidural steroid injection costs in California

How much does an epidural steroid injection cost in California?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $375, with most facilities between $138 and $879 (based on 215 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of California hospitals run $198–$2,016; 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 an epidural steroid injection in California?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our California data is Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in Monterey at about $239. By metro, Los Angeles has the lowest median ($886). 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 an epidural steroid injection so much cheaper at some California hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 6.4× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In California, the median cash (self-pay) price is $907 versus a median negotiated rate of $2,043 - 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 an epidural steroid injection in California?

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

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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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Published October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

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