What does a cardiologist do?
A cardiologist is a doctor who diagnoses and treats heart and blood vessel conditions. They manage problems like high blood pressure, heart rhythm changes, and heart failure.
Last updated November 11, 2026
When people see one
- Your primary care doctor finds a heart murmur
- Chest pain or shortness of breath with no clear cause
- An irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- High blood pressure or cholesterol that is hard to control
How it differs
Pulmonologist (lung doctor): Both can be involved when you are short of breath. A cardiologist looks at the heart; a pulmonologist looks at the lungs.
On 2027 Colorado plans
Do you need a referral? On some plans. 37 of the 148 2027 plans need a referral from your primary care provider to see a specialist: Kaiser Permanente's 29 plans (you may self-refer to certain specialists) and Denver Health (Elevate)'s 8 plans (self-referral allowed for OB-GYN and outpatient mental health care). The other 111 don't, according to each plan's 2027 summary of benefits. Confirm in the plan's summary of benefits.
What a visit costs (the plan's filed "Specialist Visit" benefit, in network, before any extra savings on silver plans):
- Bronze: $100 to $140 a visit on 10 of 56 plans; on the other 46, you pay toward your deductible or a share of the bill.
- Silver: $50 to $90 a visit on 44 of 58 plans; on the other 14, you pay toward your deductible or a share of the bill.
- Gold: $50 to $90 a visit on 26 of 30 plans; on the other 4, you pay toward your deductible or a share of the bill.
In-network care costs less. Out-of-network visits on an HMO or EPO usually aren't covered except in an emergency.
In Colorado
Public records list 502 cardiologists at 222 Colorado locations.
- Denver County: 24 locations
- Adams County: 19 locations
- Douglas County: 19 locations
- El Paso County: 18 locations
- Jefferson County: 18 locations
- Arapahoe County: 16 locations
Counties with the fewest: Summit (1), Rio Grande (1), Rio Blanco (1), Pitkin (1), Otero (1). 24 counties have none.
Questions to ask the office
- Do I need a referral from my primary care doctor?
- Which 2027 plans and network names do you take?
- How long is the wait for a new patient?
- Is the office part of a hospital? Hospital-owned clinics can add a facility fee.