Overview

• Cleveland Clinic will mandate upfront copay payments for all nonemergency outpatient services beginning June 1, with appointments rescheduled or canceled if payments are not made at check-in.
• The policy excludes Medicaid patients and services such as emergency care, inpatient visits, surgeries, cancer treatments, and urgent or express care visits.
• Patients can pay copays using various methods, including credit, debit, FSA cards, cash, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or through the MyChart platform.
• Critics, including health policy experts, warn the policy could delay care and disproportionately impact low-income patients, potentially leading to worsened health outcomes.
• Unlike other regional hospitals, Cleveland Clinic is the only major area provider that will cancel or reschedule appointments for unpaid copays, sparking debate over equity and access in healthcare.