Earlier this month, Cleveland Clinic announced a new policy requiring patients to pay their copays at or before check-in for nonemergency, outpatient appointments — with those unable to pay having their visits rescheduled.
However, after significant community pushback, the health system walked back part of the policy, according to cleveland.com.
Effective June 1, Cleveland Clinic said its new copay policy will still require payment at check-in for nonemergency outpatient services, but the health system will not cancel or reschedule appointments for patients who cannot pay immediately. The policy applies to commercially insured and Medicare Advantage patients for services such as office visits, diagnostic tests and outpatient procedures.
The policy does not apply to:
- Medicaid or traditional Medicare patients
- Emergency department visits
- Urgent or express care visits
- Surgical procedures
- Cancer treatments
- Inpatient hospital stays
For these services, copays may still be collected but are not required upfront. A 0% interest payment plan will be offered to those unable to pay immediately.
The revision comes as Cleveland Clinic — like many health systems — grapples with rising patient cost-sharing and a growing rate of copay delinquencies.
“Over the past decade, we have observed the growth in out-of-pocket costs for patients through their insurance plans. Copays are a standard part of most plans — a fixed amount determined by insurers, not by healthcare providers,” the health system said. “In 2024, more than half of copays were not paid when Cleveland Clinic provided services.”
Despite the new collection policy, Cleveland Clinic reaffirmed its commitment to equity and financial assistance. In 2023, the health system said it provided more than $261 million in financial aid to over 100,000 patients who could not afford care.
