Colorado 2021 Hospital Charges and Insurance Allowed Amounts

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Colorado 2021 Hospital Charges and Insurance Allowed Amounts

This Colorado site “Colorado Hospital Price Report” contains two reports, one from the hospital association and one from state government. You may experience limitations in accessing some of the information. Updated August 2022.

Compare average charges at Colorado hospitals in 2021. About 25 types of hospitalizations. Example: Major joint replacement without complications (such as a hip or knee replacement) had an average price of $94,519 in 2021. The price was up about 15% from two years earlier. Average 2021 price for major joint (hip or knee) replacement without major complications at CO hospitals that performed at least 100 procedures, ranged from $50,597 at San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center in Alamosa, to $183,346 Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree (over 3 times higher). Physician charges are not included in the inpatient costs. Maternity and newborn 2021 prices were not available in the Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) report, except for a few very complicated types of cases.

The state government report is referred to as the “DOI report”. It shows the average prices and amounts allowed by insurance in 2020. Its data is one year behind the hospital association CHA report. The average total charge in 2020 for a major joint replacement was $90,443. (Some regions may be missing in the data.) The average amount allowed by the insurance company was $39,261. This represents about a 56% discount off charges. Amazingly, the patient’s responsibility (called member liability) is also shown either by region, or by insurance company name. Consumers can appreciate the transparency between prices and insurance-allowed amounts. Average member liability portion was $2,256 for UnitedHealthcare members (major joint procedure). It was $1,657 for members in the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company. Normal newborns had an average price of $6,713 in 2020, with insurance companies allowing $3,056 – less than half of charges. The patient (parent) responsibility averaged between $500 and $600 for United and CT General members.The most recent year for uncomplicated vaginal delivery prices on the DOI Report is 2018.

Outpatient prices on average for the state, or region, are also available for 2020. Cataract surgery, colonoscopy, emergency room visit, knee arthroscopy, physician office visit and pregnancy test prices are examples of average charges available on the insurance report. Regions are Denver, Ft. Collins, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, Greeley, Pueblo, East and West. The information is jointly published by the Colorado Hospital Association, in conjunction with the state Division of Insurance’s Department of Regulatory Agencies. Updated 2022.