Harry F. Saltzberg

HARRY SALTZBERG: 1920-2017 He Pioneered Electronic Medical Billing Harry Saltzberg was a visionary, who anticipated business trends decades ahead of others. He started what became standard practice for every physician’s office and hospital system in the country- electronic medical billing- from his family’s dining room table in 1969, at the age of 50. Mr. Saltzberg, who passed away on November 20, 2017 at age 97, founded Health Data Services, Inc with an idea that was simple, but at the time, unconventional. After attending business college, Mr. Saltzberg worked as an accountant. He got the idea for electronic billing while managing pharmacy books for his clients. He noticed reimbursement checks to pharmacists were miniscule compared to the handwritten claims they submitted via US mail. He observed stacks of returned, unpaid claims which were riddled with coding and other errors requesting corrections and resubmissions in order for payment to be possible. Pharmacists lost hope of being reimbursed at all and gladly paid Mr. Saltzberg his asking price to process their prescription claims- fifty cents a piece, but only if/when they were reimbursed. Before the advent of the personal computer, he personally delivered reel-to-reel tapes containing all claims to Columbus weekly to insure faster processing and payment. These were the early years. As the healthcare landscape changed, the business followed suit, making a foray into physician and hospital billing. In 1987, his son assumed leadership of the company, taking it on a growth surge. The Cleveland Clinic signed on as one of Health Data’s largest clients and the company was acquired by McKesson Corporation in 2004. In his mid-70’s, Mr. Saltzberg began working with his daughter and son-in-law in Atlanta, Georgia on a new business, one which has now become prevalent across the country- facial cosmetic enhancement. He observed the surge in plastic surgeries in the 1990’s along with the emergence of newer, non-invasive techniques, namely cosmetic fillers. He wanted to make them accessible and affordable to the general public. By offering services through a walk-in clinic, which was unconventional at the time, and maintaining high standards at competitive prices, his vision was achieved and The Ageless Center was born. His daughter assumed leadership of the company when Mr. Saltzberg was in his mid- 80’s. Mr. Saltzberg grew up in Cleveland, the son of Eastern European immigrants. His father came here from Poland, at age 14, alone. He supported himself, and eventually his family, by selling rags and junk during the Depression and after. Mr. Saltzberg was preceded in death by his wife, Marilyn, to whom he was married for 67 years and by one of his sons, Jonathan. Survivors include his son Marc (Rennie), daughters Alona, (Dr. Michael Solomon) and Betsy Ann (Hugh McPherson), a sister, Leona Berkowitz , aged 99, grandchildren Simy (Sarah) and Zevi and great-grandchildren Jordan and Micah. Charitable contributions in Mr. Saltzberg’s name may be made to the Marilyn Saltzberg Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland. Funeral services will be held Sunday, November 26 at 1 PM in Bet Olam Cemetery (Park Synagogue section), located at the corner of Chagrin and Richmond Roads, Beachwood. Friends will be received SUNDAY FOLLOWING BURIAL AT MENORAH PARK, 27100 Cedar Rd., Beachwood, AND MONDAY FROM 2 TO 4 PM 6 to 8PM at the residence of Betsie Saltzberg, 3030 Bremerton Rd., Pepper Pike. ?Arrangements through BERKOWITZ-KUMIN-BOOKATZ MEMORIAL CHAPEL (800) 448-2210.