Urgent Care vs. ER Cost in Denver: What You'll Pay, and When the ER Is Worth It

For a minor illness or injury, an emergency room visit usually costs far more than urgent care, often several times as much, because ERs are staffed and equipped for life-threatening emergencies around the clock and bill a facility fee on top of the provider's charge. At AfterOurs, a self-pay in-clinic visit is $175 for a standard visit and never more than $330, with telehealth at $75. The ER is still the right place for a true emergency, whatever it costs.

Why the ER costs more

• Facility fees: hospitals charge a separate fee just for using the emergency department, on top of the clinician's fee.
• Built for the worst case: an ER keeps surgeons, CT scanners and trauma teams ready at all hours, and that cost is spread across every visit.
• Higher insurance cost-sharing: many plans have a higher ER copay or coinsurance than for urgent care, and ER visits often count against a deductible first.
• More tests: an ER is set up to rule out emergencies, so a minor complaint can lead to more testing than it needs.

What AfterOurs charges

Our self-pay prices are posted before you come in:

• Standard visit: $175
• Visit with one moderate service, such as an X-ray or a breathing treatment: $250
• Procedure, such as stitches or draining an abscess, or two moderate services: $330, and a self-pay in-clinic visit never costs more
• Telehealth video visit: $75

Tests, physicals, vaccines and nutrient IVs have their own prices on the cost and insurance page.

If you have insurance

We contract with all major commercial and government plans, including Colorado Medicaid and Medicare. We collect your copay, file the claim and bill any remainder after your insurer processes it. We can't guarantee a particular commercial plan has us in network; if it's out of network or the insurer denies the visit, we drop you to the self-pay rates. Check your plan's urgent care copay; it's usually lower than the ER's.

What urgent care handles

Colds, flu, COVID and strep, sinus and ear infections, UTIs, rashes and skin infections, sprains, minor fractures, cuts that need stitches, minor burns, vomiting and dehydration (including IV fluids), and work injuries. See our urgent care visit page for more.

When the ER is worth it

Some problems need an emergency department no matter the cost: possible heart attack or stroke, severe trouble breathing, major injuries, heavy bleeding, and sudden severe pain. If you're not sure, call us, or start with a telehealth visit. If a clinician thinks you need the ER, they'll tell you.

Call 911 or go to the ER for chest pain or pressure, signs of a stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, trouble speaking), severe trouble breathing, heavy bleeding that won't stop, a head injury with loss of consciousness or repeated vomiting, a seizure, a high fever in a baby under 3 months, or sudden severe pain.

Where to find us

Four clinics across metro Denver, all ages welcome, se habla español:

• Hampden (Southeast Denver): 8 AM–11 PM daily
• Littleton: 8 AM–11 PM daily
• Thornton: 8 AM–11 PM daily
• Highlands: Mon–Fri 5–11 PM, Sat–Sun 8 AM–11 PM

Walk in, or book online.