Why Does My Bill Look Different?
Cleveland Clinic patient statements will have a new look and feel starting in July of 2018. Based on multiple points of patient feedback, this new design is intended to limit confusion and provide a more clear understanding of your charges and amount due.
There are a few things that you need to consider as Cleveland Clinic makes this exciting change.
- To limit confusion, when you have a charge that is being considered by your insurance, we won’t place that on the statement until the insurance tells us you have an amount due.
- Payment plans are now placed in their own separate section. If you see that you have charges that are not on a payment plan, please call Customer Service at 1.866.621.6385 to ensure they are added.
- We added more points of information that tell you if you have charges that are aging and not fully paid. Charges typically only show on your statement for four months before being eligible for a transfer to a collection agency. If you have charges highlighted in red or yellow, call Customer Service at 1.866.621.6385 to talk about payment options.
Learn More About The Changes
Our Visual Guide will help you to understand other important changes to the document.
Frequently Asked Questions
These Frequently Asked Questions will help you understand your new statement.
How can I make a payment?
Payments can be made online through MyAccount Online Bill Pay, by mail in the return envelope provided, or call 866.621.6385 to pay by phone.
Why is my Minimum Amount Due different than my Total Patient Balance?
The Total Patient Balance is your overall balance owed. Minimum Balance due is the minimum amount you must pay with this statement and includes your payment plan amount and any amount not on a payment plan.
What if I cannot pay my entire balance?
We offer several payment options for you to pay your bill. Please call Billing Customer Service at 866.621.6385 to set up payment arrangement that works for you.
Why do some of my services not appear on my statement?
We do not send you a bill until your insurance company has completed processing your claim and you have a balance due.
How long does it generally take for my charges to appear on the statement?
In general, charges will appear within approximately 30 days based on processing from your insurance carrier.
Why do I have a balance due for my services?
Your insurance carrier may not provide 100% coverage of your services. Refer to your insurance explanation of benefits for details.
Why do I receive bills for old dates of service?
At times, there may be a delay in charges being submitted for billing and added to your account; or your insurance carrier may be delayed in processing your claim. We do not send you a bill until your insurance company processes your claim.
Why do the colors of the boxes change to yellow and red on my statement?
If an amount is highlighted in yellow, it means that the charge is past due. If it is highlighted in red that means it may be sent to a collection agency if not paid in full immediately.
What are the reference numbers on my statement?
The reference numbers are numbers that we use to identify a particular charge within our billing systems. They can be located above the procedures performed that are listed on your statement.
Can I have payments automatically deducted from my bank account to pay my balance?
At this time we don’t offer automatic payments. We do accept electronic payments from your financial institution.
What is a PBB charge?
PBB stands for Provider-Based Billing. It means the clinic functions as an extension of its respective hospital. Eligibility for “provider-based” status is determined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The facility and/or treatment room charge is the result of Cleveland Clinic’s physician offices and outpatient clinics being classified as hospital outpatient departments, also called “Provider-Based Facilities (PBB)
What is the billing account number on my statement?
The billing account number, in the upper right hand corner of your statement, starting with an “E” is a unique identifier in our systems and allows us to pull all of your accounts together, regardless of location.
What do you do with the payment I make on my account?
If you make a partial payment, we apply your payment to the oldest balances due on your last statement first. This helps prevent your older balances from aging and going to a collection agency.
Why do I receive more than one billing statement from Cleveland Clinic?
Nearly all of the Cleveland Clinic sites are on a single statement. However, there are a few services that continue to bill separately: for example, some radiology, anesthesiology, laboratory, and dental locations. In addition, physicians who practice at our community hospitals may be private practitioners and may send you a separate bill for their services.
