diff --git a/apps/Backend/src/routes/patients.ts b/apps/Backend/src/routes/patients.ts
index 1e147ae..f511652 100644
--- a/apps/Backend/src/routes/patients.ts
+++ b/apps/Backend/src/routes/patients.ts
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ router.get("/by-insurance-id", async (req: Request, res: Response): Promise<any>
     if (patient) {
       return res.status(200).json(patient);
     } else {
-      return res.status(404).json(null);
+      return res.status(200).json(null);
     }
   } catch (err) {
     console.error("Failed to lookup patient:", err);
diff --git a/apps/Frontend/src/pages/claims-page.tsx b/apps/Frontend/src/pages/claims-page.tsx
index ce220b7..2ae05bf 100644
--- a/apps/Frontend/src/pages/claims-page.tsx
+++ b/apps/Frontend/src/pages/claims-page.tsx
@@ -155,8 +155,14 @@ export default function ClaimsPage() {
       "GET",
       `/api/patients/by-insurance-id?insuranceId=${encodeURIComponent(insuranceId)}`
     );
-    if (!res.ok) throw new Error("Failed to fetch patient by insuranceId");
-    return res.json(); // returns patient object or null
+
+    if (!res.ok) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `Failed to fetch patient by insuranceId (status ${res.status})`
+      );
+    }
+
+    return res.json();
   };
 
   // workflow starts from there - this params are set by pdf extraction/patient page. then used in claim page here.