Charge for Records

Yes, it is normal and there is a state law that regulates how much the practice can charge per page.

Oh yes! I just moved and $25 was the going rate for getting all my records.
Seems like we pay for EVERYTHING these days.

Yes, this is very common. In fact, offices that don't charge are the minority. The fees range from 10-25.00. I agree it's a good idea to have them with you, esp. out of the country. It has always really irritated me that they charge but they will tell you it's for their "time" to get them together for you. Have a safe trip.
M.

The Privacy Rule under HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)permits the covered entity to impose reasonable, cost-based fees. The fee may include only the cost of copying (including supplies and labor) and postage, if the patient requests that the copy be mailed. If the patient has agreed to receive a summary or explanation of his or her protected health information, the covered entity may also charge a fee for preparation of the summary or explanation. The fee may not include costs associated with searching for and retrieving the requested information. See 45 CFR 164.524.

Given these guidelines, unless the kids' medical records contain many many pages, then $25.00 seems excessive. Even when you add labor, I can't imagine that it would take more than a few minutes to fill your request. You might want to mention the HIPAA rules and ask them to better explain the fees.

I think that is pretty common. It's an administrative fee to cover the cost of copies and the time for someone in the office to do it.

Kidcare charged me $25 when I had my son's records transfered to a new Dr.

When I worked for a physician (from 1994-1999) we charged for Medical records if requested by the patient. We did not charge if a specialist requested records... however, they generally didn't require the complete chart.

My doctor's office charges $25 only if they are going to another doctor. I can have a copy of my records for my personl use for free. I wonder if they do the same and just don't realize your reason for wanting them?

Never heard of that one before!! I have never had to pay for any records!

I've heard of this practice in almost all doctors offices. Even my own OB and general pract. They charge to make the copies although I think it is a bit much.

I have always paid. It is more for the time they are spending doing the copies. They have to keep the originals for their insurance and can't give the file to you to keep or even to copy outside of the office.

Yes, they will charge you. When I changed pediatricians for my kids, my former ped. charged $25 per child for copies of their records!

Whoa, I've never heard of that! I just requested records from two different Dr., and I didn't pay a dime. That seems shady......

Yes, this is very common. If another doc was asking for copies they would not charge you, however, if you want them personally they charge you. They pay a copy service company to come in once/twice a week to make copies of patient files; there are probably upwards to 20-30 pages in your children's files of health related docs and records.
K

wow, I guess it's a texas thing. I lived in California for 30 years and NEVER had to pay for records or x-ray film copies. They always asked me "would you like a copy?" Also, so far here in Texas, I have received copies also for things I have asked for. We pay excessive Health care prices..and I believe we deserve them free of charge. I was a EMT for 4 years, 1 of which was in a hospital and we could always give copies as long as the proper paperwork was filled out. I think it's very weird that you have to pay for them.

Unfortunately it is legal. I worked in doctor's offices since I was 18. I can honestly say though that not all offices charge for records. My kids pediatricians do however. it cost me twenty dollars to get my daughters when she was 9 months old, because her pedi retired so we left the practice as well. She only had nine months of records and it still cost $20!! Now we just moved from MA to TX so it costs us $40 because we have two now. Thank god my OB did not charge for mine!!! Offices can charge a copying fee and per page as well. Most choose a flat rate though.

Yep, it is a very common charge. The office I work in charges for entire medical records, forms to be filled out and shot records. We do give shot records at the time of well exams for no charge. We will also fill out a form at the time of a well exam for no extra charge.
In our office there is a person who takes messages, the file clerk who pulls the records, the medical secretary who has to make the copies (which is fairly time consuming when many things are stapled together, printed on 2 sides etc...) and then get them to to mail people. Not to mention the cost of supplies.
I could be wrong but I believe the records actually belong to the Drs not to you :-)

D.

I haven't read the others' responses, but they may think you are trying to change pedis. By law, they are required to keep these costs reasonable (I believe) and $25 is not very reasonable considering each piece of paper is less that .01...time and effort could add a couple of cents. Negotiate. Offer $5 for the pertinent papers only.

Just my .02! E.

I can't say for sure, but mine didn't charge when I wanted vaccination records. Maybe they'd charge for the whole shebang...? I do agree that it is wrong to charge though. On a similar note, I remember being shocked that my OB charged $25 to write my note to my employer to start maternity leave! You'd thank that would be standard too!

I work for an orthopaedic practice and yes a charge for records is normal. You can avoid the charge by having the new or other doctor request your records with your signed authorization. Depending on the efficiency of your current dr and new dr it can be done in an hr or less. We do it all the time. Good luck. Also depending on how much are in the records they can GIVE you the most important info such as allergies and most recent info and your insurance company already has a copy of all the records taken. They can also give you a copy free of charge because they are the ones you pay to keep track of all that information. Hope this helps.
Take care, M.

My doctor charges for records also. Even immuzation records are $15 if they aren't for school records.

I think that what you are paying for is the time it takes someone to make the copies and get it all in order. I understand how you feel, but the office has to cover their own expenses and it costs them to do this service for you. Just imagine the time it would take to copy a couple of records a day.

I think this is a very standard practice and $25 seems to be on the low end of what I have seen out there. I don't necessarily agree with it, but I also understand the administrative part involved costs them some money. My pedi has never charged me for vaccination records or to have paperwork filled out for Mother's Day Out, but I am sure that if I asked for all of our medical records, there would be a charge. I worked in HR with Leave Of Absence for 10 years and I have seen Dr's charge for paperwork as high as $25 per page. That seems excessive, but $25 for all records seems fairly reasonable to me. The records actually belong to your Dr's office.

Yes it does seem worng, very wrong. I have paid as little as 10 and as much as 174 (those were hospital records and there were A LOT of them).

Our Pediatrician also charges if we want the records for ourselves. It is no charge if you switch Dr.s or another Dr. request your childs records. Good Luck!!!

Yes that is pretty common now. I think it is crazy personally! I think maybe it has something to do with people getting copies and loosing them over and over, at least that's what I've been told. You may be able to talk to your doctor and see what they can do for you.

I think it is wrong too. I refused to get mine because if that. They wanted to charge per page. My sister in Seattle went in and sat there and told them she was not leaving until she go what she came for. They finally gave in and she left with them. I had a stroke 10 years ago then moved 40 miles from Double Oak. I feel we paid for them up front and I know that my doctor in Flower Mound is money hungry. My husband had a fantastic income and great insurance but I could not get it after the divorce. She had blood work done every time I had a visit every month and urine and anything else she could do. Throat cultures. I still get blood work done almost every month but when she thought I needed a EKG and needed to go to the specialist she did the EKG before hand. Once I got to the heart specialist he could not do more. She could not keep any of her employees either. I am sure it costs when you have to pay employees to copy things because of the hourly wage and stuff. My friend worked for doctors and when her husband needed records they were charged like 300 something outrageous. Just another way to make money. I have in my Day Care policies so much a copy for records as well. I use up ink all the time and paper is not cheap either. G. W

I work for a pediatrician and we do not charge for records the first time they are requested. However, charging a fee is pretty common with most doctors. The fee is supposed to be a copy fee and labor fee to cover the person doing the copying. Most of the fees seem excessive to me, but it is legal to charge you a "reasonable amount" according to HIPAA (privacy law). I know one office that charges 50.00

Our office only charges when there has been multiple requests and the records have actually been sent previously. All you may need is a shot record most of the time.

That is crazy! Mine has never charged! I've lived in Texas all my life and never heard of anyone paying for them till now. Weird.

Hi S.A.-
Yes,it is common practice to charge for medical records. I work for a hospital and it is stated that even though the records have your information, the records are actually owned by the facilty. Sometimes, they charge you an adminstration fee to fax or copy the medical chart for your own personal files. Hope that helps!