CMS Price Transparency Data

Hip or knee replacement (inpatient stay)

Facility: Children's Hospital Colorado

Billing Code: 470 (MS-DRG)

The BaseRate · fair price medium confidence

A fair price for this

$19,080

about 1.4× the $14,044 Medicare rate · typically $12,518–$45,266

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$46,119

Well above the fair price

about $27,039 over the fair price · 3.3× Medicare

Medicare pays $14,044 Fair price $19,080 This hospital $46,119

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other CO hospitals

Highest price of the 9 CO hospitals we have prices for — worth calling around.

Cheapest $12,404 Priciest $46,119

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 CO hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.

A fair price for a Hip or knee replacement (inpatient stay) is about $19,080 (about 1.4× the $14,044 Medicare rate). Children's Hospital Colorado charges insurers about $46,119 — well above the fair price. Located in Aurora, CO.

This price is above the fair BaseRate — you may be able to pay less

Ask the hospital for the cash / self-pay price, check whether you qualify for financial assistance, or negotiate the bill down toward the fair price of about $19,080. Many patients pay well below the first number they’re quoted — the checklists below walk you through it.

What each insurance company pays

Which insurers have negotiated a price with this hospital for this procedure — and which haven’t.

4 of 6 major insurers have a published price at this hospital

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Cigna✓ Kaiser Permanente AetnaHumana

Crossed out = this hospital hasn’t published a negotiated price for that insurer for this procedure. It doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t accepted — ask your insurer.

Insurance company	Price range	vs. Medicare
UnitedHealthcaremajor	$51,920 - $55,828	370%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$42,945 - $43,933	306%
Cignamajor	$51,642	368%
Kaiser Permanentemajor	$22,755 - $48,305	162%

Self-Pay How to get the cash price

Tell the billing desk you want to be billed as self-pay — not through insurance — before your visit.
Ask for the cash / prompt-pay discount in writing, with the exact price, before you agree to anything.
Get it in writing that they won’t also bill your insurance, so the cash price is what you owe.
Check the MS-DRG code on your bill matches exactly: 470.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Children's Hospital Colorado is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for MS-DRG code 470.
Confirm the doctor or provider is in-network too — not just the hospital building.
Check your Explanation of Benefits against the hospital’s final itemized bill.

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost

A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.

How you’d pay

Deductible left to meet ($)

Your coinsurance (%)

Enter your details and press estimate to compare.

Other Procedures at Children's Hospital Colorado

Compare: Hip or knee replacement (inpatient stay) at other CO hospitals

San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center · Alamosa $12,404
Animas Surgical Hospital, LLC · Durango $14,539
Montrose Regional Health · Montrose $14,973
Community Hospital · Grand Junction $15,998
HCA Healthone Rose · Denver $16,378
Banner Fort Collins Medical Center · Fort Collins $16,667
Hca-Healthone DBA Swedish Medical Center · Englewood $17,033
HCA Healthone Presbyterian St Luke's · Denver $17,365

Insurance negotiated median for the same procedure, sorted lowest first.