Prices at 3 hospitals in Colorado, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $29,419 — 31% above the US median ($22,542), roughly 49.7× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gunnison Valley Hospital | Gunnison, CO | $26,863 | $20,304 | — | 134 min | 15.0% |
| Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center | Salida, CO | $31,975 | $28,171 | ★ 1/5 | — | 14.6% |
CMS rating = overall hospital star rating (1–5); ER wait = median minutes in the emergency department; Readmit = 30-day readmission rate (lower is better) — all from Medicare’s Care Compare; “—” = not reported. Data last updated June 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $29,419 — about 49.7× the Medicare rate ($592). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($1,184).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $34,610 list price could save about $5,192 (15%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Appendix removal (appendectomy) cost in other states
All Appendix removal (appendectomy) prices (national) → · All hospitals in Colorado →