Frequently Asked Questions for Itemized Billing

Question: What is your turn-around time?

Answer: Approximately 30 days once all requested documents are received. Requests are processed in the order they are received. Please allow 30 business days before checking on a request. Due to the volume of requests, we cannot confirm receipt or status updates unless it has been 30 days.

Question: What type of payments do you accept?

Answer: Checks only at this time. We will be adding credit cards soon to expedite processing.

Question: Do I need a HIPAA/Medical Authorization to obtain an Itemized Billing statement?

Answer: Yes! The Medical Authorization must be valid, including the signature of the patient and a current date. For anyone other than the patient (unless patient is a minor), appointment papers must be attached.

Question: Do you provide the Medical Records?

Answer: No, we only provide the Itemized Billing/UB/04/hcfa-1500/summary. Any inquiries for Medical Records need to be directed to 216-444-2640. The UB/HCFA forms are considered insurance forms and if the patient did not provide proof on insurance at the time of their visit, these forms cannot be produced.

Question: Who should the check be made payable to?

Answer: The check must be made payable to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation/Cleveland Clinic Health System. Any check not made out CCF/CCHS Itemization will be returned and will delay the process.

Question: Why do I have to pay for Itemized Billing, I never have in the past?

Answer: A patient is entitled to a free copy of their itemized bill (not insurance forms) by calling the customer service department at 216-445-6249. The volume of requests and the time it takes to process the requests necessitated these charges which is in accordance with Ohio Revised Code §3701.741. Please see the Ohio Revised Code (O.R.C. § 3701.741(C)) for additional information.

Question: Why did my itemized bills not include the UB/HCFA forms?

Answer: If the patient does not present proof of insurance at the time of their visit, these forms cannot be produced.

Question: How does an attorney get a balance or propose a settlement?

Answer: For settlements, fax the HIPAA Release with patient name, account number, date of service, and request for balance or offer to:

1. For MVA's and non-MVA’s, please FAX your request to the attention of Patricia Santana Winter at 216-445-8134.
2. For a verbal balance, please contact 216-444-4775.

Question: Why was my fee not returned even though I did not receive any bills?

Answer: The $15 is considered a search fee, which covers the search for the bills. If a request is cancelled and the processing of the request has already begun, we cannot refund the search fee.