Does insurance cover the cost of facet joint injections?

As of 2015, insurance generally covers the cost of facet joint injections when they are considered medically necessary, states The Pain Center of FirstChoice Healthcare. Doctors' offices can confirm coverage with the insurance carrier before the procedure, notify patients of any amounts not covered and facilitate payment arrangements, if needed.

Although a facet joint injection is typically a covered procedure, the specific terms of a patient's insurance plan determine the out-of-pocket costs for it, notes Spine & Pain Institute of New England. Each segment of the spine has small joints, called facet joints, which stabilize and guide spinal movements. When arthritis, injury or physical stress causes pain in the neck, shoulder, back or hip, doctors use facet joint injections to determine the source of the pain and provide relief.