What 11 hospitals in Colorado charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for combined anterior and posterior spinal fusion without complications (DRG 455), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Hospitals in Colorado billed an average of $282,983 for combined anterior and posterior spinal fusion without complications, about 6.9 times the average total payment of $40,789. That payment is about the same as the U.S. average of $40,610.
These are averages for patients with original (fee-for-service) Medicare. Private insurance pays different, negotiated prices, and what you owe depends on your plan's deductible and coinsurance. Use these figures to compare hospitals, not as a quote.
About 14¢ was paid for every $1 hospitals in Colorado billed for this stay.
Medicare prices this stay in 3 versions, by how sick the patient was. Compare them in Colorado:
Every Colorado hospital that billed Medicare for this stay at least 11 times. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment | Medicare paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centura Health-Penrose St Francis Health ServicesColorado Springs | 80 | $214,894 | $36,616 | $31,534 |
| Memorial Hospital CentralColorado Springs | 42 | $281,240 | $34,563 | $32,993 |
| Medical Center of the RockiesLoveland | 25 | $159,623 | $33,850 | $32,218 |
| Swedish Medical CenterEnglewood | 21 | $506,836 | $42,948 | $31,009 |
| Sky Ridge Medical CenterLone Tree | 21 | $539,491 | $47,686 | $33,191 |
| Rose Medical CenterDenver | 17 | $519,727 | $35,042 | $33,329 |
| Vail Valley Medical CenterVail | 17 | $211,059 | $84,869 | $83,236 |
| Mercy Medical CenterDurango | 16 | $281,042 | $54,300 | $41,639 |
| Orthocolorado Hospital at St Anthony Med CampusDenver | 16 | $215,069 | $32,295 | $30,663 |
| Community HospitalGrand Junction | 15 | $103,096 | $34,849 | $30,211 |
| Centura Health-Avista Adventist HospitalLouisville | 11 | $240,330 | $34,950 | $33,318 |
Among hospitals with at least 11 Medicare hospital stays. Differences reflect local wage costs, teaching status and how sick patients were, as well as price.
| Orthocolorado Hospital at St Anthony Med CampusDenver, CO | $32,295 |
|---|---|
| Medical Center of the RockiesLoveland, CO | $33,850 |
| Memorial Hospital CentralColorado Springs, CO | $34,563 |
| Community HospitalGrand Junction, CO | $34,849 |
| Centura Health-Avista Adventist HospitalLouisville, CO | $34,950 |
| Vail Valley Medical CenterVail, CO | $84,869 |
|---|---|
| Mercy Medical CenterDurango, CO | $54,300 |
| Sky Ridge Medical CenterLone Tree, CO | $47,686 |
| Swedish Medical CenterEnglewood, CO | $42,948 |
| Centura Health-Penrose St Francis Health ServicesColorado Springs, CO | $36,616 |
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for combined anterior and posterior spinal fusion without complications (DRG 455) at 11 hospitals in Colorado was billed at $282,983 on average, while the average total payment was $40,789, of which Medicare paid $35,659. Your own cost depends on your insurance, deductible and the hospital.
Charges are a hospital's list prices. Medicare pays fixed rates set in advance, and private insurers negotiate their own discounts, so almost nobody pays the full charge. For this stay in Colorado, average charges were 6.9 times the average payment. Uninsured patients can ask the hospital about its financial assistance (charity care) policy and cash prices.
Source: CMS, Medicare Inpatient Hospitals by Provider and Service, 2024. Average total payment includes Medicare's payment, the patient's deductible and coinsurance, and any other payer. CMS omits hospitals with fewer than 11 hospital stays for privacy. About the data.