Medical bills can be hard to understand. Your Cleveland Clinic billing statement shares many important details, like what you were charged, what your insurance paid and what you may still owe. You’ll get a statement after receiving care. It may also include charges for family members on your account.
Our Billing Process
After your visit, we’ll send the charges for your care to your health insurance company. This is called a claim. Once your insurance provider receives the claim, they’ll look it over and tell us what part they’ll pay and your remaining balance. Your insurance provider decides this based on the details of your health plan, including:
- Deductible: The amount you pay for covered care before your insurance starts sharing the cost
- Coinsurance: The part of the cost you pay for covered care after you meet your deductible
How To Read Your Cleveland Clinic Bill
Each month, you’ll get one billing statement that includes all the charges you’re responsible for in one place, including charges for any family members on your account. You won’t receive separate statements for them. When your bill arrives, look closely at the minimum amount due. If any charges are past due, they’ll appear in yellow or red on your statement.
Here are a few tips to help you understand your bill.
Payment plans and statements
If you can’t pay your bill in full, our customer service team can talk with you about zero-interest payment options and our financial assistance process. Please call 216.445.6240 or 866.621.6385 to speak with a team member to make payment arrangements.
Once your payment plan is in place, your future statements will look like this.
If you set up a self-service payment plan using auto-pay in MyChart, you can choose your first payment date when you create the plan.
If you manage billing for family members on your account, you may be able to include their eligible balances in one payment plan. Go to the payment plan section of your MyChart account summary to see available balances and to enroll.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make a payment?
You can pay your bill online through MyAccount Online Bill Pay, by mail or by phone at 866.621.6385. You can also pay in person at any check-in desk. If you’re paying by phone, make sure you have your personal ID ready to share. You can find this on the first page of your billing statement.
Why is my minimum amount due different from my total patient balance?
Your total patient balance is the full amount you owe. Your minimum amount due is the amount you need to pay by the due date. It includes your payment plan amount and any charges that aren’t part of your payment plan.
How long does it usually take for charges to appear on my statement?
Charges appear on your statement after your insurance company lets us know you have a balance due.
Why don’t some of my services appear on my statement?
If your insurance company is still processing a charge, it won’t appear on your statement yet. It will show up after your insurance company tells us you owe part of the cost.
Why do I have a balance due for my services?
Your health insurance may not cover the full cost of your care. Check your insurance company’s explanation of benefits for more details.
Why am I getting bills for older dates of service?
Sometimes, there’s a delay before a charge appears on your bill. This can happen if we’re still processing the charge or if your insurance company hasn’t finished processing your claim yet. We’ll send your bill after your insurance company finishes processing the claim.
Why do some boxes on my statement turn yellow or red?
If an amount is highlighted in yellow, the charge is past due. If it’s highlighted in red, it means this is your final notice. We may send the charge to a collection agency if it’s not paid in full by the due date.
What is the guarantor account number on my statement?
Your guarantor account number usually starts with an “E.” We use it to group together the charges you’re responsible for, even if the care was for more than one person or happened at different locations.
What are the reference numbers on my statement?
Reference numbers help us identify a specific charge in our billing system. You can find reference numbers directly above the procedures listed on your statement.
What is a facility fee or treatment room charge?
You may see a facility fee or treatment room charge on your statement if you received care at a location that we consider part of a hospital. These locations are called “provider-based facilities.” If that happens, we may bill part of your visit to your insurance as a hospital charge. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (U.S.) decides which of our locations are classified this way.
Why do I get more than one billing statement from Cleveland Clinic?
We’re able to include most Cleveland Clinic locations on one statement, but some services may still bill separately. This can include some radiology, anesthesiology, laboratories and dental locations. Also, healthcare providers who practice at our community hospitals may be private practitioners and may send a separate bill for their services.
How can I learn more about avoiding surprise medical bills?
The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) consumer guide can help you understand what questions to ask, so you’re less likely to get an unexpected medical bill.
