Best Hospitals in Colorado 2026
Colorado has 97 hospitals with an average procedure payment of $17K. The top-rated hospital is Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins with a 5-star CMS rating.
97 Colorado hospitals appear in the CMS Inpatient Payment dataset. Ranked by average payment per documented procedure: University Of Colorado Hospital Authority is the lowest at $8,598; Adventhealth Avista the highest at $26,266. The gap between the extremes is large enough to matter for any patient with elective scheduling.
Ranking interpretation: the rankings sort on the Medicare payment-per-procedure average, weighted equally across DRG codes. That makes them most useful as a cost-comparison starting point — the LakeQuality value grade layered on top combines this cost data with CMS Hospital Compare quality measures, which is usually the more decision-useful number. For patients comparing hospital costs, the ranking is a useful first cut, but the procedure-specific page is the better tool: cost spreads vary by DRG code, and the all-procedure average can hide important per-procedure differences.
Across Colorado's 97 Medicare-participating hospitals, the average payment per procedure is $17K, above the national average of $16K. 32% ofColorado's hospitals carry a CMS quality rating of 4 stars or higher, and 31% earn an A or B on our Value Score, which weighs price (40%), quality (40%), and patient outcomes (20%).
Procedure prices in Colorado range from University Of Colorado Hospital Authority at $9K per procedure to Adventhealth Avista at $26K — a difference of $18K on the same kinds of inpatient stays. Where you go for the same procedure can swing the bill by more than the procedure itself.
All numbers come from the latest CMS Hospital Compare release, which uses Medicare claims data and only reflects payments for Medicare inpatient stays — not what private insurers or self-pay patients actually pay. Star ratings combine seven groups of measures including mortality, patient safety, readmissions, and patient experience. Lower-priced hospitals can still earn an A on the Value Score if their quality stays competitive.
Top 3 Hospitals in Colorado
Poudre Valley Hospital
Fort Collins, CO
Colorado's top-rated hospital with a 5-star CMS quality rating and an average payment of $19K per procedure. Outcome score: 92/100.
University Of Colorado Hospital Authority
Aurora, CO
Second-best in Colorado. 5-star CMS rating with an outcome score of 84/100. Average procedure payment: $9K.
Uchealth Highlands Ranch Hospital
Highlands Ranch, CO
Third on quality + outcomes. 5-star CMS rating; Value Score 73/100. Lists 8 priced procedures.
Top 20 of 97 Hospitals in Colorado
Hospital quality and cost data for Colorado is sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare dataset.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on CMS quality ratings and patient outcomes, Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins is the top-rated hospital in Colorado with a 5-star CMS rating and an average procedure payment of $19K. Its Value Score is 80/100 (Grade A).
Colorado has 97 Medicare-participating hospitals. The average procedure payment across the state is $17K, and 31% of hospitals earn an A or B Value Score.
Colorado's average procedure payment of $17K is above the national average of $16K. Within the state, prices range from $9K at University Of Colorado Hospital Authority to $26K at Adventhealth Avista — a gap of $18K per procedure.
Of 97 hospitals analyzed in Colorado, 31 (32%) earn a CMS quality rating of 4 stars or better. CMS star ratings combine measures of mortality, safety, readmission, patient experience, timeliness, and effectiveness of care.
Hospitals are ranked first by CMS star quality rating (1-5 stars), then by outcome score, which reflects mortality rates, patient safety, and readmissions. The Value Score combines price percentile (40%, lower price = higher score), quality rating (40%), and outcome score (20%).
Hospitals ranked by CMS star quality rating and outcome score. Value Score: price percentile (40% inverted), quality rating (40%), outcome score (20%).