What Hospitals Charge in Colorado: A Price Transparency Data Analysis
Published February 2026 · Analysis of 10 Colorado hospitals, 49 procedures, 4,704 price records
The same MRI costs anywhere from $1,275 to $14,681 in Colorado — an 11.5x difference for the identical scan.
We analyzed the cash prices that 10 Colorado hospitals are required to publish under the federal Hospital Price Transparency Rule (45 CFR 180). The price variation for common medical procedures is staggering — even within the same metro area.
MRI Prices Across Colorado
MRI scans are among the most commonly shopped medical procedures in the U.S. Here's what Colorado hospitals charge for a cash-pay MRI:
MRI Brain (CPT 70551)
| Hospital | City | Cash Price |
|---|---|---|
| Montrose Regional Health | Montrose | $1,275 |
| North Suburban Medical Center | Thornton | $6,798 |
| Medical Center of Aurora | Aurora | $8,599 |
| Rose Medical Center | Denver | $9,774 |
| Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center | Denver | $10,517 |
| Swedish Medical Center | Englewood | $13,797 |
| Sky Ridge Medical Center | Lone Tree | $14,681 |
A patient at Sky Ridge Medical Center would pay 11.5x more for the same brain MRI than a patient at Montrose Regional Health.
MRI Knee (CPT 73721)
| Hospital | City | Cash Price |
|---|---|---|
| Montrose Regional Health | Montrose | $1,249 |
| North Suburban Medical Center | Thornton | $7,504 |
| Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center | Denver | $8,413 |
| Medical Center of Aurora | Aurora | $8,596 |
| Rose Medical Center | Denver | $11,026 |
| Swedish Medical Center | Englewood | $12,625 |
| Sky Ridge Medical Center | Lone Tree | $14,559 |
The cheapest knee MRI in our Colorado data ($1,249 at Montrose) costs less than a tenth of the most expensive ($14,559 at Sky Ridge) — a 11.7x spread.
All MRI Types — Lowest vs. Highest Cash Price
| MRI Type | Lowest | Highest | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain | $1,275 (Montrose) | $14,681 (Sky Ridge) | 11.5x |
| MRI Brain with Contrast | $1,710 (Montrose) | $18,362 (Sky Ridge) | 10.7x |
| MRI Cervical Spine | $1,268 (Montrose) | $14,615 (Sky Ridge) | 11.5x |
| MRI Knee | $1,249 (Montrose) | $14,559 (Sky Ridge) | 11.7x |
| MRI Lumbar Spine | $1,359 (Montrose) | $14,884 (Swedish) | 10.9x |
| MRI Shoulder | $1,261 (Montrose) | $14,675 (Sky Ridge) | 11.6x |
The pattern is consistent across every MRI type: Montrose Regional Health (a rural hospital on Colorado's Western Slope) charges $1,200–$1,700 for any MRI. Denver metro hospitals charge $7,000–$15,000 for the same scans.
Beyond MRIs: Price Variation Across Common Procedures
The price gaps aren't limited to imaging. Here are the cash price ranges we found across Colorado hospitals for procedures patients commonly shop for:
| Procedure | Hospitals | Lowest | Highest | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT Abdomen/Pelvis with Contrast | 7 | $957 | $25,007 | 26.1x |
| MRI Brain with Contrast | 7 | $1,710 | $37,500 | 21.9x |
| MRI Knee | 7 | $1,249 | $25,586 | 20.5x |
| CT Abdomen/Pelvis w/o Contrast | 7 | $906 | $19,685 | 21.7x |
| MRI Brain | 7 | $1,275 | $14,681 | 11.5x |
| ER Visit Level 5 | 7 | $413 | $44,608 | 107.9x |
| ER Visit Level 4 | 7 | $358 | $11,516 | 32.1x |
| Ultrasound Abdomen | 7 | $418 | $16,119 | 38.5x |
| Shoulder X-Ray | 7 | $166 | $12,634 | 75.9x |
Some of the extreme high-end prices (particularly for ER visits and basic labs) appear to be hospitals reporting their full chargemaster rates as "cash" prices — which raises a separate question about how meaningfully hospitals are complying with the transparency rule.
Cash vs. Negotiated: What Insurers Actually Pay
At Montrose Regional Health — the hospital with the most complete pricing data in our Colorado dataset — we can compare what cash-pay patients are charged versus what insurance companies negotiate:
| Procedure | Cash Price | Avg. Negotiated | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hip Replacement | $5,824 | $4,224 | 27% lower |
| Knee Replacement | $5,700 | $4,176 | 26% lower |
| MRI Knee | $3,086 | $2,222 | 27% lower |
| MRI Shoulder | $3,086 | $2,226 | 27% lower |
| CT Abdomen/Pelvis w/ Contrast | $2,940 | $2,657 | 9% lower |
| MRI Brain with Contrast | $2,374 | $2,167 | 8% lower |
| MRI Lumbar Spine | $1,905 | $1,724 | 9% lower |
At this hospital, insured patients pay 8–27% less than cash-pay patients for the same procedures. For a knee replacement, that's a $1,524 difference. This data suggests that uninsured patients — who can least afford it — are often paying the highest prices.
What This Means for Patients
- Prices vary enormously — even for routine procedures like MRIs and CT scans. Shopping across hospitals can save thousands of dollars.
- Rural doesn't mean more expensive — Montrose Regional Health consistently offers the lowest prices in our dataset, often by a factor of 10x compared to Denver metro facilities.
- Cash prices aren't always the best deal — At hospitals where we have negotiated rate data, insured rates are consistently lower than cash rates. Patients should always ask about both options.
- The data is messy — Some hospitals appear to report chargemaster (list) prices as "cash" prices, which inflates the apparent cost. This inconsistency is itself a problem that the federal transparency rule was designed to address.
Methodology
This analysis uses data from hospital Standard Charge files published under the CMS Hospital Price Transparency Rule (45 CFR 180), which requires all U.S. hospitals to publish machine-readable files containing their prices for all services.
We analyzed cash (self-pay), gross (chargemaster), and negotiated (insurer-specific) prices for 49 common shoppable procedures at 10 Colorado hospitals. Data was parsed from hospital-published CSV files using automated classification and extraction. Prices reflect the most recent files available as of February 2026.
All source data originates from files hospitals are federally required to publish. MedicalPriceCheck.com does not estimate or model prices — we report what hospitals disclose.
Limitations
- This analysis covers 10 of Colorado's 100+ hospitals. Results may not be representative of the full state.
- Some hospitals report chargemaster rates where cash rates are expected, which can skew comparisons.
- Price files are updated on varying schedules. Some data may reflect prices from earlier periods.
- Prices shown are facility fees only and may not include physician fees, anesthesia, or other associated costs.
Explore Colorado Hospital Prices
Search and compare prices for specific procedures at Colorado hospitals — or browse hospitals in any of our 25 covered states.
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MedicalPriceCheck.com is a free, independent tool that makes federally mandated hospital pricing data searchable and comparable for patients. We currently cover 216 hospitals across 25 states. We do not accept advertising from hospitals or insurers.