The Boston Children's Hospital Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement is one of the largest pediatric otolaryngology programs in the U.S. Whether this is your first visit to Boston Children's — or one of many — we know the experience can be stressful for your child and family.
Planning ahead and being prepared helps ease the way and decrease your wait. Included in this section are some helpful tips on making an appointment, what to bring with you, where we see patients, and the types and locations of tests that your child might need.
Insurance and financial information
There are three separate fees associated with ORL surgery.
- facility fee: billed by the hospital
- anesthesia fee: billed by the Anesthesia Foundation
- surgeon's fee: billed by the Otolaryngologic Foundation
When contacting the ORL Foundation, please have your bill handy as you will be asked your account number and your child's date of birth.
Billing inquiry contact information:
- Phone: 508-947-8131
- Toll-free: 1-800-488-3858
- Fax: 508-947-7956
Mailing Address:
CHMC Otolaryngologic Foundation
P.O. Box 4162
Woburn, MA 01888-4162
All other programs are billed through the hospital.
Outpatient appointments
To make an appointment, call 617-355-6462 or go to our programs and services page to select the program or service that your child needs — or have your child's pediatrician call us for a second opinion or a referral.
What to bring to an appointment
- doctor's or specialist's name
- name and telephone number of your referring physician
- insurance card(s)
- co-payment and referral for your insurance, if applicable
- medical or personal records, such as x-rays or lab tests. If you are unsure what to bring, call us
- a list of your child's medications
- a list of questions you may have
- your child's and your Social Security numbers (for insurance purposes)
- any forms mailed to you by the ORL department
- books, games, snacks, formula, diapers, change of baby clothes, or other necessities; please do not bring food if your child must fast for testing
Return patients: What to bring
- Insurance and demographic information is verified at every visit. Please bring your insurance card with you to every visit.
- If your insurance, address, or phone number should change, please notify us so that we can update this information. This will help us in the event we need to contact you.
Pre-operative informational series
Download these booklets to learn more about common conditions requiring surgery and what you can expect before, during and after the operation: