Cleveland Clinic will begin requiring copay payments before or at the time of check-in for all scheduled office visits, diagnostic tests and procedures, the Clinic confirmed Tuesday.
Appointments will be rescheduled or canceled for patients who can't make their copay. The policy will go into effect June 1.
The change doesn’t apply to emergency care, surgeries, inpatient hospital stays, cancer treatments or patients with Medicaid. It also doesn't impact urgent or express care visits "at this time," the Clinic said.
The hospital system — the only said in a statement that the policy change would "ensure sustainable hospital operations and supports the seamless delivery of care."
Asking for copayments upfront is common practice among hospitals. But many health systems allow later payment, including University Hospitals, which permits payment by check after care is administered, according to the UH website.
Cleveland Clinic’s main campus is ranked the fifth worst health system in the U.S. for community spending compared to tax breaks, according to a recent report by the Lown Institute.
The Clinic profit reported a profit last year, but despite caring for a record number of patients, fell 1% short of its expectation.
