J1020
HCPCSPharmacy & DrugsEphedrine sulfate (pressors) 50 mg/ml IV soln [132566]
As billed by one hospital: “Methylprednisolone 20 MG inj”
Based on the latest published hospital price files, code J1020 (Ephedrine sulfate (pressors) 50 mg/ml IV soln [132566]) appears at 6 hospitals across 6 cities in 2 states with disclosed cash prices from $5.85 to $146. This is public hospital price transparency data, not a guaranteed estimate of your bill.
New to this? Read How to compare hospital prices by CPT code.
What this is
This is a drug administered by a provider (a HCPCS “J-code”), priced per a defined unit or dosage rather than per prescription.
What affects the price
The billed amount scales with the number of units given, and the same drug can be far cheaper at a retail or specialty pharmacy than administered in a hospital. If it is a self-administered medication, ask whether an outpatient prescription is an option.
Category: Pharmacy & Drugs
What the published prices show
Across the 8 hospitals that disclose a cash price for code J1020, the median is $5.85, and half of the disclosed prices fall between $5.85 and $22.58 — about a 4× difference for the same billing code. The full disclosed range runs from $5.85 to $146. At 50% of the hospitals that publish both, the cash price is lower than the midpoint of the disclosed insurance-negotiated rates — so paying cash can sometimes beat using insurance for this service. Confirm with your plan first.
Published-price availability
A blank price (“—”) means a hospital names this service but did not publish a dollar amount — it is not a free service or a $0 price.
Compare J1020 prices
Filter by hospital, city, setting, or payer — the summary and charts update with your filters.
Published cash prices for code J1020 vary by about 25× across the 4 hospitals with disclosed prices here — from $5.85 to $146. Shopping around can matter.
Lowest cash price by hospital
- Summa Health System$72.75
Cash price by city
Reflects your current filters.
- Fostoria · 1 hospital$5.85
- Maumee · 1 hospital$5.85
- Or · 1 hospital$5.85
- Akron · 1 hospital$72.75–$146
10 prices shown.
How to read these prices
- Cash price
- The discounted self-pay price for paying directly, without insurance.
- List price
- The hospital’s full undiscounted charge — rarely what anyone pays.
- Negotiated rate
- A rate for a specific insurer and plan; your share depends on your benefits.
- Allowed amount
- A historical reference for what was actually allowed, where disclosed.
Hospitals that publish J1020 prices
Open a hospital to see this code in the context of its full published prices.
Code J1020: frequently asked
- What does code J1020 cost?
- Across the published hospital price files, the disclosed cash price for J1020 ranges from $5.85 to $146. This is public hospital price transparency data, not a guaranteed estimate of your bill.
- Will this be my final bill?
- Actual patient responsibility may vary based on your insurance plan, deductible, coinsurance, network status, diagnosis, setting, bundled services, clinical circumstances, and hospital billing practices.
- What is code J1020?
- J1020 is the billing code hospitals use to identify "Ephedrine sulfate (pressors) 50 mg/ml IV soln [132566]" on their published price files. We use it to line up the same service across different hospitals.
- Why do J1020 prices differ between hospitals?
- 6 hospitals across 2 states publish a price for J1020 here, and even setting aside the outliers, most disclosed cash prices span roughly a 4× difference. Each hospital sets its own prices and negotiates separately with each insurer, so the disclosed price for the same code can vary widely from one hospital to another — and even between plans at a single hospital. Comparing the published figures is what this page is for; a difference does not by itself mean one hospital is better or worse.
- What this page is not
- It is not a quote, a guarantee, or medical advice. It shows what hospitals have published for this code, so you can compare and ask informed questions — your actual cost depends on your insurance, the exact services performed, and the care setting.