The Cost of PRP and Stem Cell Therapy in Santa Barbara: What to Know Before You Pay

How much does PRP cost?

These are national figures from published studies. They are not our practice's prices.

• Top orthopedic hospitals, 2024. Researchers called 100 top-ranked US orthopedic hospitals; 87 offered PRP for knee arthritis. Prices ranged from $350 to $2,815 per injection, with a median of $800, and were highest in the Northeast. Only 68% of the hospitals offering PRP would give a price over the phone⁴.
• US clinics, 2019. Across 153 clinics, the mean price of a single same-day PRP injection in one knee was $714⁶.
• Sports medicine practices, 2020. Calls to 1,345 practices found a mean PRP injection price of $707, ranging from $175 to $4,973⁷.

The three studies agree that prices vary widely. The 2024 study also found big differences within the same metropolitan area, and concluded that patients willing to shop around may save a meaningful amount⁴.

How much do stem cell and BMAC treatments cost?

Again, these are national figures, not this practice's prices.

• US stem cell centers, 2018. A study that contacted 273 centers offering stem cell treatment directly to consumers found the mean price of a same-day stem cell injection in one knee was $5,156, or about $5,000 per injection⁵.
• Sports medicine practices, 2020. The same 1,345-practice survey found a mean stem cell injection price of $2,728, ranging from $300 to $12,000⁷.

The two studies surveyed different kinds of clinics, which may explain part of the gap between their averages.

For bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) specifically, we did not find a published national price. The closest evidence is a 2023 survey of 100 physicians who perform these procedures: bone marrow concentrate and bone marrow aspirate were the most expensive treatments reported and had the widest cost ranges, while PRP cost less and varied less⁸.

What drives the cost of PRP and BMAC?

• The number of injections. Studies quote prices per injection^4,6, so a series multiplies the total. Protocols differ by joint. For the knee, AAOS found three PRP injections appeared to give more favorable results than one or two⁹. For the hip, a 2023 review found a single PRP injection reduced pain more than multiple injections¹⁰.
• Image guidance. In its guidance on cortisone injections, ACR strongly recommends imaging guidance for the hip joint. For the knee, it says ultrasound may help make sure the medicine reaches the joint but is not required¹¹. Ask whether a quote includes it.
• The bone marrow harvest. BMAC starts with drawing marrow from your own bone. At our practice this is done at Pueblo Surgery Center, an accredited outpatient facility, where the marrow is drawn, processed and delivered in one visit, with light anesthesia so there is no discomfort during the harvest.
• Setting and location. Higher PRP prices have been linked to larger cities and higher local incomes⁷, and physicians in private practice reported higher PRP and bone marrow costs for peripheral joints than those in academic settings⁸.
• What goes into the injection. AAOS OrthoInfo lists the preparation of the PRP, including the cellular makeup of what is injected, among the factors that influence how well it works¹. A 2025 meta-analysis found that PRP with a higher platelet concentration gave greater pain relief and longer-lasting gains in function than lower-concentration PRP². Two quotes for "PRP" may not describe the same preparation, so ask what each includes.

Does insurance or Medicare cover PRP and stem cell treatments?

Usually not, so these treatments are generally paid out of pocket. AAOS advises checking with your insurer, and notes that few insurance plans, including workers' compensation plans, provide even partial reimbursement for PRP¹. The 2024 hospital study states that PRP is typically not covered by insurance⁴, and centers offering stem cell or PRP injections usually charge patients directly^5,6. For Medicare, Noridian Healthcare Solutions, the Medicare contractor for California, does not cover PRP injections for joint or musculoskeletal conditions¹².

Because the cost usually falls to you, it makes sense to get a full quote before you start. At our practice, candidacy is decided at a consultation, before any financial commitment.

How does the cost compare with a knee replacement?

A study of 58,809 Medicare patients who had a total knee replacement between 2010 and 2014 found a median cost to Medicare of $23,800 for the 90-day episode of care after surgery¹³. The national injection prices above are far lower per treatment: PRP ranged from $350 to $2,815 per injection at top orthopedic hospitals⁴, and stem cell knee injections averaged $5,156 at US stem cell centers⁵.

A single injection is not the whole plan, though. If a series of injections is planned, add them up, along with any image guidance and follow-up visits, and compare that total.

How do you judge whether the cost is worth it?

The useful question is whether a reasonable cost is justified by the outcome you can reasonably expect, including a better quality of life, for your joint and your stage of arthritis. No injection can promise a particular result.

• Ask what the research shows for your condition. For knee arthritis, a 2025 meta-analysis of 18 randomized trials and 1,995 patients found that PRP gave clinically relevant improvement in function at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months and in pain at three and six months². Our article on PRP vs cortisone walks through the trials.
• Ask what the research shows for BMAC. A 2022 systematic review of eight studies (299 knees) found BMAC effective in improving pain and patient-reported outcomes at short- to mid-term follow-up³. A 2024 review of eight randomized trials (937 patients) found that BMAC patients improved from as early as one month after the injection, and that for pain at 6 and 12 months BMAC compared favorably with hyaluronic acid¹⁴.
• Get the full picture of the quote. Ask how many injections are planned, whether image guidance is included, and what follow-up visits cost.
• Expect clear pricing. The authors of the 2024 hospital study wrote that PRP prices should be clearly disclosed so patients can make informed decisions⁴.

At our practice, physical therapy and viscosupplementation come first in the order of care, and PRP, BMAC or the two combined may be considered when those have not worked. Not every patient is a candidate, and a proper orthopedic evaluation is essential. Candidacy is decided at a consultation, before any financial commitment.

What does PRP for low back pain cost, and does it work?

We did not find a published national price for PRP in the spine; the figures above are for knee injections.

Studies have found that patients' back pain improved after PRP. A 2026 meta-analysis of 15 randomized trials and 740 patients found that PRP injections reduced low back pain and pain-related disability for up to six months, with significant benefits at one, two, three and six months¹⁵. An earlier 2020 meta-analysis of three randomized trials (131 patients) found that PRP injection improved pain relief and patient satisfaction, with no increase in adverse events¹⁶. See spine and back for how back pain is evaluated here.

If you are in the Santa Barbara area, Dr. Scheinberg can examine the joint, review any imaging and talk through the options and what they involve before you commit to anything. Learn more about PRP and BMAC, read our FAQ, or call (805) 682-1394.

References

1. 1. Alaia MJ, Kelly FB (contributors). Platelet-rich plasma (PRP). OrthoInfo, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. orthoinfo.aaos.org
2. 2. Bensa A, Previtali D, Sangiorgio A, et al. PRP injections for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: the improvement is clinically significant and influenced by platelet concentration: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Sports Med. 2025;53(3):745-754. PubMed
3. 3. Keeling LE, Belk JW, Kraeutler MJ, et al. Bone marrow aspirate concentrate for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review. Am J Sports Med. 2022;50(8):2315-2323. PubMed
4. 4. Tiao J, Wang K, Herrera M, et al. There is wide variation in platelet-rich plasma injection pricing: a United States nationwide study of top orthopaedic hospitals. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2024;482(4):675-684. PubMed
5. 5. Piuzzi NS, Ng M, Chughtai M, et al. The stem-cell market for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a patient perspective. J Knee Surg. 2018;31(6):551-556. PubMed
6. 6. Piuzzi NS, Ng M, Kantor A, et al. What is the price and claimed efficacy of platelet-rich plasma injections for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis in the United States? J Knee Surg. 2019;32(9):879-885. PubMed
7. 7. Momaya AM, McGee AS, Dombrowsky AR, et al. The cost variability of orthobiologics. Sports Health. 2020;12(1):94-98. PubMed
8. 8. Charnoff J, Rothman R, Andres Bergos J, et al. Variability in patient-incurred costs and protocols of regenerative medicine procedures for musculoskeletal conditions in the United States. HSS J. 2023;19(1):77-84. PubMed
9. 9. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Management of Osteoarthritis of the Knee (Non-Arthroplasty): Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline. AAOS, adopted August 31, 2021. www.aaos.org
10. 10. Lim A, Zhu JB, Khanduja V. The use of intra-articular platelet-rich plasma as a therapeutic intervention for hip osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Sports Med. 2023;51(9):2487-2497. PubMed
11. 11. Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, et al. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guideline for the management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2020;72(2):220-233. PubMed
12. 12. Noridian Healthcare Solutions. Local Coverage Determination L39058: Platelet Rich Plasma Injections for Non-Wound Injections. Medicare Coverage Database, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, original effective date January 23, 2022, revision effective September 11, 2025. www.cms.gov
13. 13. Courtney PM, Bohl DD, Lau EC, et al. Risk adjustment is necessary in Medicare bundled payment models for total hip and knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2018;33(8):2368-2375. PubMed
14. 14. Han JH, Jung M, Chung K, et al. Bone marrow aspirate concentrate injections for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Orthop J Sports Med. 2024;12(12):23259671241296555. PubMed
15. 15. Pei X, Liu C, Wang J, et al. Platelet-rich plasma therapy for low back pain: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2026 (online ahead of print). doi:10.1177/10538127261448983. PubMed
16. 16. Xuan Z, Yu W, Dou Y, Wang T. Efficacy of platelet-rich plasma for low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg. 2020;81(6):529-534. PubMed

Reviewed by Dr. Richard Scheinberg, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in Santa Barbara with 40 years of surgical experience.