Quote Quoting Dogmatique
View Post
M, could you clarify something for me please?

Is a provider not allowed to charge a patient for providing a copy of their medical records?
Dogmatique , a doctor can charge for the cost of copying the medical records and postage if they have to be mailed. Federal law states a doctor can't charge a fee for searching for them or similiar things. Unfortunately, some states haven't incorporated federal law into their state laws, yet. So some doctors do charge an extra fee. A federal complaint can be made, but that won't get the patient a copy of their medical records any time soon. The feds do suggest making a copy of the law and showing it to the person in charge of making the copies or the doctor. Although doctors rarely, if ever, deal with copies of medical records.

"Charges
A provider cannot deny you a copy of your records because you have not paid for the services you have received.

However, a provider may charge for the reasonable costs for copying and mailing the records. The provider cannot charge you a fee for searching for or retrieving your records"

http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individ...rds/index.html