2026 Forecast Verified

Open Heart Surgery Cost in Colorado (2026)

Moderately higher pricing · Regional price parity: 105.2 · CO

Colorado Average
$157,800
▲ +5.2% above national
Typical Range
$84,160 – $263,000
National avg: $150,000
Editorial view of Colorado
Regional Pricing Confidence
92% Confidence Index
The Colorado Market

What Drives Pricing Here

Three factors explain most of why open heart surgery costs what it does in Colorado.

Regional Price Parity

Colorado's cost-of-living index sits at 105.2 — above the national benchmark (100). This directly scales facility and staffing overhead, which flow through to every procedure price.

Specialist Availability

10 facilities perform this procedure in Colorado — competition keeps pricing honest and gives you real leverage to shop quotes.

Vs. National Benchmark

At +5.2% above the national average ($150,000), Colorado sits in premium territory. Likely drivers: high demand, metro concentration, or tier-one facility networks.

State Context

Open Heart Surgery in Colorado: What to Know

Colorado offers robust open heart surgery options. Children's Hospital Colorado's Heart Institute performed 798 heart surgeries in 2025 with a 98.2% survival rate, exceeding the national average. For adults, CommonSpirit Health performs over 1000 heart procedures annually, and Valley View's Heart & Vascular Center in Glenwood Springs completed 100 open heart procedures by April 2023. UCHealth's Structural Heart and Valve Clinic in Loveland leads northern Colorado in valve replacements.

To potentially lower costs, consider discussing options with an Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) like the Advanced Heart and Vein Surgery Center in Thornton for eligible procedures, which can offer shorter recovery times. You might also explore facilities in neighboring states for cost comparisons. Verify current pricing directly with providers.

Itemized Breakdown

Estimated Cost Breakdown in Colorado

Colorado runs somewhat above the national average for open heart surgery. Here's where the extra cost comes from.

Hospital Stay

Per-night inpatient cost

$38,661 - $71,799

Most significant cost

Surgeon Fee

Expertise and experience level

$22,092 - $41,028

Implants & Supplies

$16,568 - $30,771

Operating Room

OR and equipment time

$16,568 - $30,771

Anesthesia

Anesthesiologist or CRNA fee

$8,837 - $16,411

Post-Op Care

Recovery and aftercare

$7,732 - $14,360

Total Estimated Cost

Colorado all-in range

$84,160 – $263,000

Financing Options

Many Colorado clinics partner with CareCredit or Alphaeon. A typical 24-month, 0% APR term on $157,800 looks like:

$6,575/mo
Est. 24 months · 0% APR promo
  • Soft credit check — no hard pull
  • Instant approval decisions
  • HSA/FSA eligible for qualifying cases

Prices reflect regional cost-of-living adjustments. How we calculate these numbers →

Ranges adjusted for Colorado's regional price parity (105.2). See the national percentage breakdown →

Hospital-Level Data

Facility Costs in Colorado

Here are the highest-volume open heart surgery providers in Colorado. All rates come from CMS Medicare claims data — actual payments, not list prices.

Facility City Negotiated Rate Medicare Volume
University Of Colorado Hospital Authority Aurora $87,447 $76,967 44
Medical Center Of The Rockies Loveland $76,924 $75,604 23
University Colo Health Memorial Hospital Central Colorado Springs $81,182 $71,195 20
Adventhealth Porter Denver $58,421 $54,764 18
Foothills Hospital Boulder $59,918 $58,679 16
Penrose Hospital Colorado Springs $58,607 $48,253 16
University Of Colorado Hospital Authority Aurora $94,059 $87,159 14
Medical Center Of Aurora, The Aurora $67,792 $55,992 14
St Anthony Hospital Lakewood $59,459 $57,713 13
Foothills Hospital Boulder $79,400 $78,065 11
Regional Comparison

Open Heart Surgery Cost in Nearby States

Among neighboring states, Colorado has the highest open heart surgery costs. Patients near the border may find savings nearby.

Common Questions

Expert Answers for Colorado Patients

Local regulations, insurance nuance, and surgical standards specific to Colorado.

Compare Colorado with any other state

See national pricing, all 50 state comparisons, and detailed cost factors in the main open heart surgery cost guide.

View full open heart surgery guide
What should I expect to pay for open heart surgery in Colorado?
Expect to budget around $157,800 for open heart surgery in Colorado. The typical range spans $84,160 to $263,000 — where you land depends on your provider, whether you choose a hospital or outpatient center, and the specifics of your case.
Can I use insurance for open heart surgery in Colorado?
Most insurance plans cover open heart surgery when it's deemed medically necessary. You'll typically need pre-authorization from your insurer, and staying in-network with a Colorado provider will minimize your out-of-pocket share.
When can I return to work after open heart surgery?
Plan for 42 to 120 days of downtime after open heart surgery in Colorado. The first week is typically the most restrictive — after that, you'll gradually resume daily routines. Post-op expenses like prescriptions and follow-up visits in Colorado can add $7,890 to $15,780 to your total bill.
Are payment plans available for open heart surgery in Colorado?
Many Colorado providers offer financing through medical credit companies like CareCredit or Prosper Healthcare Lending. You can also use HSA/FSA funds, negotiate a cash-pay discount (often 10-20% off), or ask about in-house payment plans that split the $157,800 cost into monthly installments.
How do I compare open heart surgery facilities in Colorado?
Compare facilities on volume (higher volume correlates with better outcomes), accreditation status, and the negotiated rate vs. what you'd pay out of pocket. In Colorado, check whether an outpatient surgery center can perform your open heart surgery — ASCs typically charge 30-50% less than hospitals for the same procedure.
Can I save by getting open heart surgery in a neighboring state?
Yes — Oklahoma offers open heart surgery at an average of $139,200, which is $18,600 less than Colorado. Factor in travel costs, follow-up visit logistics, and whether your insurance network covers out-of-state providers before making the trip.
Can Medicaid help pay for open heart surgery in Colorado?
Medicaid in Colorado can cover open heart surgery when there's a documented medical need. The key is pre-authorization — your physician will need to submit clinical justification to your managed care organization before the procedure is approved.
Data Sources & References

How we calculate open heart surgery costs in Colorado

Cost estimates combine procedure-specific pricing data with regional cost-of-living and provider-supply adjustments. Primary sources:

  • Hospital pricing transparency files — CMS-required machine-readable data published by hospitals under the CMS Hospital Price Transparency rule (effective January 2021). Provides actual negotiated rates between hospitals and insurers.
  • HCUP (Healthcare Cost & Utilization Project)AHRQ's HCUP databases provide nationally-representative procedure cost data by state, payer, and patient demographics.
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics — Healthcare Practitioner Occupational WagesBLS OEWS data on surgeon, anesthesiologist, and surgical staff wages by state, used to model regional labor-cost differences in procedure pricing.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP)U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis state-level price-level indices, used to adjust national procedure averages for Colorado's cost-of-living relative to the national mean.
  • FAIR Health Consumer Cost Lookup — the FAIR Health database aggregates billed and allowed amounts from over 36 billion claim records, providing a check on procedure-cost ranges by ZIP code.
  • Medicare Provider Utilization & Payment DataCMS public-use files on Medicare-allowed amounts and submitted charges by HCPCS/CPT code and state, used as a baseline for procedure-cost ranges.

Estimates are illustrative and reflect typical pricing ranges; actual costs depend on insurance coverage, surgical complexity, anesthesia type, hospital vs. ambulatory setting, and individual patient factors. Always confirm pricing directly with providers and your insurance carrier. See our methodology page for full calculation details.

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