Cleveland Clinic Virtual Second Opinion: cost, process, and access

Compare medical second-opinion services → Cleveland Clinic

Publisher disclosure: Diagnostic Detectives Network. Its own service appears last in the alternatives section. This guide compares published service structure, access, and price; it does not assess care quality.

Provider facts last verified: 11 July 2026. Prices and eligibility can change. Confirm current terms with Cleveland Clinic before paying.

Cleveland Clinic offers a self-pay Virtual Second Opinion built around one matched specialist's review and written report. Its current published prices are $1,690 for the U.S. written-report option, $1,990 where a provider visit is included, and $4,500 for international cases. Availability varies by U.S. state and excludes 14 countries. CC-01–CC-08

The useful comparison is not the institution's reputation; it is the exact product being purchased: one specialist's report, the interaction included, the location rules, and the total published price.

What does a Cleveland Clinic Virtual Second Opinion cost?

For U.S. patients, Cleveland Clinic currently lists $1,690 for a written report and $1,990 for a written report plus a provider virtual visit where that visit is available. It lists $4,500 for an international Virtual Second Opinion. Cleveland Clinic describes the service as self-pay and says insurance does not typically cover it. CC-01–CC-03, CC-07

Cleveland Clinic says that if a provider virtual visit cannot take place in a location where the $1,990 option was selected, the written report is delivered and the $300 price difference is refunded. It also says FSA or HSA funds may be usable; the account holder should confirm eligibility with the relevant plan. CC-02, CC-07

How does the virtual second-opinion process work?

The published process begins with online registration. U.S. users have a nurse intake visit; Cleveland Clinic then gathers records with consent, matches the case to a Cleveland Clinic specialist, and issues a written report. Depending on location, the patient may also be able to discuss the report with the reviewing provider by video or phone. CC-05

The sequence is:

1. Create an account through Cleveland Clinic's secure portal.
2. Complete intake; the live nurse intake described on the page is for U.S. users.
3. Authorize records collection or upload international records in English.
4. Receive a match to a Cleveland Clinic specialist.
5. Receive the specialist's written report.
6. If the selected option and location allow it, meet the provider virtually to discuss the report.

This is a records-based opinion. Any person considering it should ask in advance whether pathology, imaging, translation, or other material will be accepted in the form they currently have.

How long does Cleveland Clinic say it takes?

Cleveland Clinic's current second-opinion overview says the report is typically provided within about two weeks after the nurse intake visit. This is a published expectation rather than a guaranteed deadline, so timing for a particular case should be confirmed directly. CC-06

Where is the service available?

Availability depends on location. Cleveland Clinic currently offers its U.S. service in most states, with either a written report alone or a report-plus-visit option depending on state. It says Virtual Second Opinion is not available in Maine, Rhode Island, or South Dakota. International service is available broadly but excludes 14 named countries. CC-04, CC-08

The current international exclusion list is:

• Australia
• China
• Germany
• Denmark
• Greece
• Iran
• North Korea
• South Korea
• Kazakhstan
• Malaysia
• Russian Federation
• South Africa
• Sweden
• Turkey

Because licensing and service rules can change, use Cleveland Clinic's current page—not a copied list—as the final eligibility check.

Who reviews the case, and what is delivered?

Cleveland Clinic says it matches the records to a specialist familiar with the condition. The core deliverable is that specialist's written report and recommendations; a provider conversation is optional or location-dependent. The public product is therefore structurally different from a service that commissions several independent physician-researchers to address the same case. CC-05

The official page identifies Cleveland Clinic as the institution and describes matching after intake. A prospective user who needs a particular named physician should ask whether requests are accepted and whether the final reviewer will be confirmed before the review begins.

What should someone check before starting?

The four practical checks are location, deliverable, records, and total cost. Confirm that the service is available where the patient lives, whether the purchase includes a provider conversation, whether all imaging and pathology can be supplied in the required format, and whether any extra review is needed outside the standard written opinion.

What alternatives can be considered if this route does not fit?

Start with the structural need: a single institutional opinion, a cancer-specific opinion, or several independent perspectives. Then compare reviewer count, report format, location eligibility, timing, and full price. The options below are not ranked, and each provider should confirm its current terms before a case begins.

1. Brigham and Women's Hospital Online Second Opinion. This is a physician-to-physician, single-specialist route. The hospital currently publishes $950 for a specialist opinion, with separate published charges for imaging and biopsy review. BWH-01
2. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Online Second Opinion. For an adult cancer case, Dana-Farber currently publishes a $3,000 written opinion through AccessHope, delivered by one Dana-Farber medical oncologist after records collection. DF-01–DF-05
3. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center remote second opinion. For a cancer case, MSK currently describes remote review of pathology, imaging, and medical information. Its reviewed public overview does not display a standard current price, so obtain a case-specific quote. MSK-01–MSK-05
4. Diagnostic Detectives Network. Diagnostic Detectives Network provides independent, private-pay medical second opinions through multi-expert panels of 3–10+ academic physicians, matched to each case from the worldwide medical literature — not from a fixed network. DDN works directly with private individuals and families worldwide — no employer plan, insurance, or membership required. Pricing starts from €6,000 per case; the exact quote depends on panel size and complexity. Start Your Case.

Frequently asked questions

Can an individual buy Cleveland Clinic's Virtual Second Opinion directly?

Yes, where the service is available. Cleveland Clinic presents it as a self-pay service and provides an individual registration route. U.S. and international pricing differ, and the type of interaction available depends on residence. An individual should verify current state or country eligibility on Cleveland Clinic's own page before opening a case. CC-01–CC-04, CC-08

Does insurance cover Cleveland Clinic's Virtual Second Opinion?

Cleveland Clinic says insurance does not typically cover this concierge service and that it cannot submit a claim or provide a CPT code for it. The page says FSA or HSA funds may be usable, but that depends on the person's account and plan. Employer-sponsored access may also change the member's cost. CC-07

Does the $1,690 option include a physician video visit?

No. Cleveland Clinic describes $1,690 as the written-report option. The $1,990 option includes the written report plus a provider virtual visit where available. If the visit cannot occur, its page says the user receives the written report and a $300 refund for the difference. CC-01, CC-02

Is Cleveland Clinic's international option available in Germany or Russia?

No, according to the current published list. Germany and the Russian Federation are among the 14 countries Cleveland Clinic excludes from its international Virtual Second Opinion service. Because availability rules can change, confirm against Cleveland Clinic's live page at the time of application. CC-04

Is this a multi-expert panel opinion?

The published Cleveland Clinic product describes a match to one specialist who reviews the records and prepares the report. Other clinicians may support intake or records collection, but the marketed opinion is a specialist report. Someone specifically seeking several separately selected perspectives should compare reviewer count and report structure before choosing a service. CC-05

Is a remote second opinion a substitute for urgent medical care?

No. A records-based second opinion is not an emergency service and should not delay urgent evaluation or treatment. Anyone with urgent symptoms should contact local emergency services or the treating clinical team. DDN is a research-grade informational service — it is not telemedicine, establishes no physician-patient relationship, and is not for emergencies.

About this guide and corrections

Publisher: Diagnostic Detectives Network. Its service is disclosed and listed last; every provider statement is limited to published structure and linked to an official source.

If a fact is wrong or a provider has changed its terms, send the page title, disputed statement, and official source through the contact page. The correction will be checked against the provider's own publication and the visible verification date will be updated when warranted.

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Source register

• CC-01–CC-05, CC-07, CC-08: Cleveland Clinic — Virtual Second Opinions, last verified 2026-07-11.
• CC-06: Cleveland Clinic — Getting a Second Opinion, last verified 2026-07-11.
• BWH-01: Brigham and Women's Hospital — Virtual Second Opinions, last verified 2026-07-11.
• DF-01–DF-05: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute — Get Started With Our Online Second Opinion Program, last verified 2026-07-11.
• MSK-01–MSK-05: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center — How Cancer Is Diagnosed, second-opinion section, last verified 2026-07-11. No standard current price was visible on the reviewed page.
• Diagnostic Detectives Network service statements: Services, How It Works, and Contact.