Facet Joint Injection Cost in California (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a facet joint injection cost in California?
Where you have a facet joint injection done in California swings the bill from $745 to $1,690 for identical care. The median cash price across 247 reporting hospitals is $1,137. 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 California, from hospital price files
- Bear Valley Healthcare District · Po Box 1649, CA $308
- Loma Linda University Medical Center - Murrieta · Murrieta, CA $335
- Loma Linda University Medical Center · Loma Linda, CA $336
All 247 facilities are listed below, free.
Where facet joint 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.
26+ people checked prices near them this month.
What you pay for a facet joint injection depends on where you go and what is billed separately. Most patients find out after.
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- ✓ Spine level: Neck and lower-back injections are priced differently.
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Cheapest Facet Joint Injection Providers in California
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs median ($1,137) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bear Valley Healthcare District | Po Box 1649, CA | $308 | $829 below |
| 2 | Loma Linda University Medical Center - Murrieta | Murrieta, CA | $335 | $802 below |
| 3 | Loma Linda University Medical Center | Loma Linda, CA | $336 | $801 below |
| 4 | LODI MEMORIAL HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION INC | CA | $338 | $799 below |
| 5 | MarinHealth Medical Center | Greenbrae, CA | $366 | $771 below |
| 6 | ORCHARD HOSPITAL | CA | $373 | $764 below |
| 7 | PORT CITY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC | Stockton, CA | $421 | $716 below |
| 8 | Victor Valley Global Medical Center | Victorville, CA | $422 | $715 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
- Bear Valley Healthcare District is the lowest-cost option at $308 - $829 below the median posted price ($1,137), just by choosing where you go.
- Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $1,137, 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.
| Coverage | Hospitals with a rate | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare (national rate) | — | $904 to $904 | $904 |
| With insurance (commercial, average) | 200 | $974 to $3,651 | $2,208 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 254 | $172 to $4,026 | $1,137 |
| Anthem Blue Cross | 145 | $834 to $4,751 | $1,972 |
| Aetna | 107 | $512 to $7,890 | $2,070 |
| Cigna | 78 | $891 to $3,984 | $2,071 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 65 | $366 to $3,956 | $2,109 |
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 facet joint injection cost with Medicare in California?
Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for facet joint injection is about $904 to $904 (typically near $904). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $181 on a $904 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 facet joint injection cost with insurance in California?
Across 200 California hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for facet joint injection average $974 to $3,651 per hospital, with a median near $2,208. 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 facet joint injection cost without insurance in California?
Cash (self-pay) prices for facet joint injection at 254 California hospitals range from $172 to $4,026, with a median of $1,137. 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 facet joint injection cost with Anthem Blue Cross in California?
Anthem Blue Cross negotiated rates for facet joint injection at 145 California hospitals range from $834 to $4,751, with a median near $1,972. 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 facet joint injection cost with Aetna in California?
Aetna negotiated rates for facet joint injection at 107 California hospitals range from $512 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 a facet joint injection cost with Cigna in California?
Cigna negotiated rates for facet joint injection at 78 California hospitals range from $891 to $3,984, with a median near $2,071. 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 facet joint injection cost with UnitedHealthcare in California?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for facet joint injection at 65 California hospitals range from $366 to $3,956, with a median near $2,109. 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 facet joint injection
The same facet joint 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.
- Facility fee $7–$6,565
- Professional fee $135–$416
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- Facility fee $175–$4,140
- Professional fee $135–$416
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 (38) report prices above $3,376, including John Muir Health at $6,565, 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 $1,137 versus $1,870 inpatient (about 1.6× more), so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick.
None of the prices above are what you'll necessarily owe: your deductible, out-of-pocket maximum, and each provider's network status all still apply.
| Your situation | Estimated out-of-pocket |
|---|---|
| Deductible not yet met | ~$1,137 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$227 |
| Out-of-network provider | $2,501+ |
Frequently asked questions: facet joint injection costs in California
How much does a facet joint injection cost in California?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $598, with most facilities between $139 and $1,076 (based on 247 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of California hospitals run $172–$4,026; 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 facet joint injection in California?
Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our California data is Bear Valley Healthcare District in Po Box 1649 at about $308. By metro, Los Angeles has the lowest median ($1,134). 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 facet joint injection so much cheaper at some California hospitals?
Typical prices vary about 7.7× (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 $1,137 versus a median negotiated rate of $2,208 - 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 facet joint 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
- 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
- Understanding your UnitedHealthcare EOB
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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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