What does a gastroenterologist do?
A gastroenterologist is a doctor who treats the digestive system, from the esophagus to the colon, plus the liver. They also perform colonoscopies and similar scopes.
Last updated November 11, 2026
Find gastroenterologists near you
When people see one
- Heartburn that does not go away with treatment
- Blood in your stool or ongoing belly pain
- Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or irritable bowel syndrome
- A colon cancer screening or a positive stool test
How it differs
General surgeon: A gastroenterologist diagnoses and treats most digestive conditions with medicine and scopes. A general surgeon operates when surgery is needed.
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 308 gastroenterologists at 150 Colorado locations.
- Denver County: 20 locations
- Douglas County: 19 locations
- El Paso County: 16 locations
- Adams County: 15 locations
- Boulder County: 15 locations
- Arapahoe County: 12 locations
Counties with the fewest: Yuma (1), Washington (1), Teller (1), Gunnison (1), Grand (1). 38 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?
- Where are scopes done, and is that facility in my network?