Updates to Shopping Tool Allow Coloradans to Compare Prices and Quality for Hundreds of Health Care Services

The Center for Improving Value in Health Care (CIVHC) is excited to announce enhancements to its innovative Shop for Care tool, designed to equip Colorado residents with transparent information to make cost-effective decisions about their health care. This tool offers a one-stop-shop for comparing quality and prices across various types of facilities, often revealing more affordable options that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Big Savings and Quality Care at Your Fingertips

The Shop for Care tool now allows users to compare costs for over 260 health care services across more than 150 hospitals and facilities in Colorado, a significant increase in the number of services and facilities previously available. The data, based on commercial claims submitted by health insurance payers to the Colorado All Payer Claims Database, reveals substantial price variation for the same medical procedures, emphasizing the importance of being informed when choosing where to receive care. By using the tool, consumers can potentially save tens of thousands of dollars on medical expenses while still receiving high-quality care.

Variation in Health Care Costs

Prices in the Shop for Care tool and summary infographic highlight significant cost savings potential for common medical procedures across the state:

• Cardiology Procedures: A cardiovascular stress test can cost anywhere from $270 to $1,970, while an ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram) ranges from $700 to $3,390.
• Laboratory Services: A blood test for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) costs between $10 and $250, and a comprehensive metabolic panel ranges from $10 to $700.
• Mental and Behavioral Health Services: The cost of a psychiatric diagnostic evaluation varies from $120 to $420, and shock treatment ranges from $260 to $1,300.
• Obstetric/Gynecological Procedures: Removal of the uterus, tubes or ovaries could cost as little as $2,000 or as much as $26,660. A vaginal delivery without complications is priced between $4,580 and $15,000.
• Physical and Occupational Therapy: A moderately complex physical therapy evaluation can cost between $60 and $380 per unit, while physical therapy to one or more regions is $40 on the low end and $240 on the high end per unit.
• Radiology and Imaging: An MRI of the brain is priced between $520 and $2,360, and a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis (with contrast) costs $300 to $4,750.
• Surgical, Diagnostic and Injection Procedures: Hip replacements are between $3,930 and $36,040, and knee replacements can cost from $4,800 to $36,040.

These discrepancies, in combination with the quality of care information in the tool, underscore the necessity for consumers to utilize the Shop for Care tool to find the most cost-effective, high-quality options for their medical needs. This dual focus on cost and quality ensures that users can make choices that provide the best value for their health care dollars.

How to Use the Tool

Consumers with or without insurance can use the tool as a starting point to select a facility that will meet their needs. For people with insurance, actual costs will depend on several factors including health status, whether the facility is in or out-of-network, and cost-sharing benefit plan specifics. For Coloradans without insurance, many facilities offer self-pay discounts. CIVHC recommends consumers reach out directly to the facility of choice or their insurance company to estimate actual costs for services for their circumstances.

It is also important to note that the prices in the tool represent facility fees only, and do not include bills from doctors, pre- and post-care visits or medications. To understand the prices that doctors and other types of providers bill for health care services, visit our Provider Payment Tool.

How to Access the Shop for Care Tool

The Shop for Care tool is available free of charge in English at https://civhc.org/shop-for-care/, or in Spanish at https://civhc.org/comprar-servicios-de-salud/, and its user-friendly interface can be accessed on both desktop and mobile devices. Additionally, users can request the underlying data in the Shop for Care tool in an Excel file by filling out this short Google Form.

About the Center for Improving Value in Health Care (CIVHC)

CIVHC is dedicated to helping Coloradans achieve better health and lower health care costs. Through transparency and data-driven solutions, CIVHC equips consumers and other partners with information to make informed health care decisions. The new Shop for Care tool is a part of CIVHC’s ongoing commitment to improving health care value across the state.