# Cardiologists in Colorado

> 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.

Source: Colorado Health Insurance Colorado Care Index (https://coloradohealthinsurance.com/care/cardiology), data updated 2026-11-11. Published by Grove Benefit Advisors LLC, a licensed Colorado health insurance agency.

## 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

- 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.
- Visit cost by metal level (standard plans):
  - Bronze: $100 to $140 a visit on 10 of 56 plans
  - Silver: $50 to $90 a visit on 44 of 58 plans
  - Gold: $50 to $90 a visit on 26 of 30 plans

## In Colorado

- 502 clinicians at 222 locations in public records (NPPES, CMS).

## 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.

## Sources

- [MedlinePlus: Heart Diseases](https://medlineplus.gov/heartdiseases.html)
- [CardioSmart (American College of Cardiology)](https://www.cardiosmart.org/)