A new Cleveland Clinic policy requiring patients to pay copays upfront for non-emergency services is facing legal scrutiny, with a recent court filing claiming the change is discriminatory and violates Ohio law.
Law and policy analyst Cassandra McDonald—who also serves as president of the Euclid NAACP—filed a complaint with the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas seeking to block the policy from taking effect on June 1. McDonald argues the Clinic failed to provide sufficient notice to patients and says the policy unfairly burdens low-income individuals.
“Ohio law generally allows patients at least 30 days to find an alternative provider when there’s a change in non-emergency medical care,” McDonald said in an interview Tuesday. “In this case, patients were only given 18 days’ notice, which is not enough time to make informed decisions about their care.”
The Cleveland Clinic has stated on its website that the policy excludes patients covered by Medicaid or traditional Medicare, and does not apply to emergency department visits, urgent or express care, surgeries, cancer treatments, or inpatient hospital stays.
McDonald, a cancer patient herself, said the exclusions don’t go far enough. “It’s not just cancer patients who require regular, uninterrupted care,” she said. “There are many patients managing chronic conditions—like kidney disease or COPD—who are equally vulnerable and deserve the same level of access and consideration.”
She emphasized the potential harm to individuals who might be unable to pay upfront, adding that financial barriers should not stand between patients and essential care.
While a court date has not yet been set to consider the motion, McDonald confirmed she is in contact with representatives from the Cleveland Clinic and hopes the issue can be resolved without litigation.
The outcome of the legal challenge could have wide-reaching implications for healthcare access and billing practices across the state.