Nutrition counseling cost in Denver, CO
In Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, 7 hospitals list a cash price for nutrition counseling (medical nutrition therapy), first visit, 15 minutes: from $21.70 to $206.05, with a median of $55.98. The lowest listed price is at National Jewish Health — $34.28 less than the median here. Across Colorado, the median is $55.98 at 10 hospitals.
Cash prices at 7 facilities across 5 cities for code 97802, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 30, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Jewish Health lowest Denver, CO · (303) 388-4461 HC MED NUTRITION INDIV 1ST EA 15MIN | $21.70 | $31.00 | $15.81–$56.83 | 30% | — source file |
| Denver Health and Hospital Authority Denver, CO · (303) 436-4927 HC MED NUTRITION INDIV INIT EA 15 | $45.96 | $131.29 | $38.08–$2,228.64 | 65% | Apr 30, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Castle Rock Castle Rock, CO · (720) 455-5000 HC MED NUTR THER, 1ST, INDIV, EA 15 MIN | $55.98 | $55.98 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Littleton Littleton, CO · (303) 730-8900 HC MED NUTR THER, 1ST, INDIV, EA 15 MIN | $55.98 | $55.98 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Porter Denver, CO · (303) 778-1955 HC MED NUTR THER, 1ST, INDIV, EA 15 MIN | $55.98 | $55.98 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Parker Parker, CO · (303) 269-4000 HC MED NUTR THER, 1ST, INDIV, EA 15 MIN | $55.98 | $55.98 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital Colorado Aurora, CO · (720) 777-1234 HB=MNT INITIAL ASSESSMENT INDIV EA 15 MIN | $206.05 | $317.00 | $31.70–$291.64 | 35% | Apr 17, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $21.70, median $55.98, highest $206.05 — a 9.5× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 7 facilities here, median $55.98. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 3 of 3 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it below every plan's rate. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
Medical nutrition therapy is counseling by a registered dietitian for conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease.
What the price covers
The price is for one 15-minute unit; a session usually includes several units and codes.