Critical care (first hour) cost in Denver, CO — inpatient
In Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, 6 hospitals list a cash price for critical care, first 30 to 74 minutes as an inpatient: from $602.55 to $17,343.39, with a median of $17,343.39. The lowest listed price is at Childrens Hospital Colorado — $16,740.84 less than the median here. Across Colorado, the median is $3,477.39 at 12 hospitals.
Cash prices at 6 facilities across 5 cities for code 99291, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childrens Hospital Colorado lowest Aurora, CO · (720) 777-1234 PR CRITICAL CARE ILL/INJURED PATIENT INIT 30-74 MIN | $602.55 | $927.00 | $139.05–$852.84 | 35% | Apr 17, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital Colorado Aurora, CO · (720) 777-1234 PR CRITICAL CARE ILL/INJURED PATIENT INIT 30-74 MIN | $927.00 | $927.00 | $279.51–$834.30 | — | Apr 17, 2026 source file |
| Denver Health and Hospital Authority Denver, CO · (303) 436-4927 HC ER CRITICAL CARE 1ST 30-103 MIN | $2,877.98 | $8,222.80 | $2,820.42 | 65% | Apr 30, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital Colorado Aurora, CO · (720) 777-1234 HB=CRIT CARE 1ST 30 74 MIN | $6,449.30 | $9,922.00 | $1,488.30–$9,128.24 | 35% | Apr 17, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Porter Denver, CO · (303) 778-1955 HC CRITICAL CARE, E/M 30-74 MINUTES | $17,343.39 | $17,343.39 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Littleton Littleton, CO · (303) 730-8900 HC CRITICAL CARE, E/M 30-74 MINUTES | $17,343.39 | $17,343.39 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Castle Rock Castle Rock, CO · (720) 455-5000 HC CRITICAL CARE, E/M 30-74 MINUTES | $17,343.39 | $17,343.39 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Parker Parker, CO · (303) 269-4000 HC CRITICAL CARE, E/M 30-74 MINUTES | $17,343.39 | $17,343.39 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $602.55, median $17,343.39, highest $17,343.39 — a 28.8× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 6 facilities here, median $17,343.39 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 1 of 2 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
This code bills care for a life-threatening illness or injury for the first 30 to 74 minutes. It appears on emergency department bills after serious cases and in intensive care.
What the price covers
The price is the hospital's charge. Additional half hours use 99292, and the doctor bills separately.