Frequent Questions About Bills and Statements
Online Account Manager / eBill
Manage your account online
- Pay your bills
- Manage your information
- Check payment status
- Receive email alerts
- Print payment history
- Get answers to billing questions
- Send secure emails
If you need additional information, please contact the Billing Customer Service Department at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 513-636-4427.
Can I pay my bill online?
Yes, you can pay your hospital and physician bills with Online Account Manager / eBill. Anesthesia billing information is not available at this time.
I received a billing statement. How do I know my insurance company paid its portion?
You may use Online Account Manager / eBill to view insurance payment information. If you have additional questions about insurance payments, please call your insurance company directly. The insurance company's phone number is usually printed on the back of your insurance card.
When do I pay the co-payment?
Your co-payment is due when you register. If you are unsure of your co-pay responsibilities, please look at your insurance card, or call your insurance company.
What if I forget to bring my insurance information to the appointment?
You will be registered as "self-pay" during registration, which means you are responsible for paying the entire bill. However, you may use Online Account Manager / eBill 24 hours a day to inform us of insurance changes. If you prefer, you may call Customer Service at 513-636-4427 to provide your insurance information or to report changes.
How does my insurance company receive the claim for health care services?
Cincinnati Children's files the claim with your insurance company. To insure prompt, proper claim processing, please verify Cincinnati Children's has the proper insurance information on file when you register. You may review the insurance information we have on file by using Online Account Manager / eBill.
What is the difference between hospital, physician and anesthesia billing statements?
You may receive separate bills for services from physicians and anesthesiologists, your primary care physician and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. For more information, please read more detailed descriptions of each type of statement, and view examples of each:
Why do I receive two (2) billing statements when my child only sees a physician at Cincinnati Children's?
With most physician-related services performed at Cincinnati Children's, there is a corresponding hospital facility fee. This is because the services are performed at the hospital (or a hospital outpatient center) and not in an independent physician's office.
Why are some of my bills from the hospital covered by my insurance, while others are not covered?
Coverage can change every year depending on your benefit plan. This determines whether or not a patient's bill is covered by insurance. Hospital coverage often has a deductible or out-of-pocket expense. Since each plan can be different, we encourage families to carefully review their benefits with their insurance company.
Why do I receive billing statements from the hospital when my child was never there?
Cincinnati Children's provides a wide array of medical-related services for independent clinics and physicians, as well as other hospitals.
For example, a pediatrician or a free-standing health center may refer lab work to Cincinnati Children's for testing or analysis. When this occurs, the bill for the lab services will come from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and not the pediatrician or health center.
My child's medical bills are adding up fast, and I can't afford to pay them. How can I get help?
We are committed to providing health care to children, regardless of family income. All families who live in our primary service area (Hamilton, Warren, Butler, Clermont, Boone, Kenton, Campbell and Dearborn counties) and do not have health insurance are eligible for discounts and payment plans.
Please call one of our financial counselors at 513-636-0201 to discuss financial assistance options. Our financial counselors can help you apply for a variety of financial assistance programs.
I received a letter stating my account has been referred to a collection agency or collection attorney. Why was this done and what should I do?
Before an account is placed with a collection agency, you will receive three billing statements from Cincinnati Children's advising you of your child's account activity. You may also receive phone calls from Cincinnati Children's billing office personnel during this billing period.
After these steps have been taken and payment or payment arrangements have not been made, the account is then referred a collection agency. These agencies act under the direction of Cincinnati Children's. Once an account is placed with an outside collection agency, we ask that parents work directly with the agency to resolve the balance. We hope this lessens confusion and frustration by eliminating unnecessary phone calls for families.
