Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
744256 tn?1234842664

Quick question regarding records

I'm finally starting to go waaaay back and request copies of my medical records, especially since I no longer even live in the same state, I really need them more readily available. I just called one of my old physicians and they said that if they send the records TO ME, there will be a charge. Not that it's that big of a deal, unless they get really outrageous with the charges, but why should it cost me? I've already paid for all of this, as far as I'm concerned. Why would it be free to have them sent to another doctor, but not me? I may not know what doctor I'm going to need these for, in the future.

Does anyone know why this is?

I just had a second and wondered if anyone else has came across this.

Thanks!
7 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
ChunkyMonkeysMommy,
I work at a health insurance company and this IS a HIPAA violation.  You need to go the following website:
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/index.html

I wouldn't want my personal information in the hands of someone else.  Yes, you do need to report it.
Helpful - 0
744256 tn?1234842664
Another update! (I only have a few minutes, but I want to try to catch up on everyone's posts when I get a chance.)

I received my medical records from an old GP yesterday. Well, what a surprise that was! Not only am I sure that it's not all there, BUT I HAVE OTHER PATIENTS' RECORDS IN MY FILE!!! It just makes me wonder who has MY records in THEIR file!! I am so angry! And it just so happens that some of those records belong to the daughter of a good friend of mine from back home. Needless to say, I called her right away. They have called the doctor's office and the office manager is saying that I'm a liar and demanding to know who I am! NO, THANK YOU!!! I don't need to be harassed by you and your goons! I haven't figured out how to get in contact with the other person whose records I have. I REALLY want to call them and say, "So, I'm a liar? Why don't you go check so-and-so's file and see if you have this record. No? THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE IN MY FILE!!" Also, the one record that they have in my file is a document that the patient can't get. It's a listing, compiled by the state, of all prescriptions that patient has had filled, called an "INSPECT Rx Report". How else would I get such a thing?

I'm not sure what to do here, but I'm SURE this is a HIPAA violation. And I'm so angry that someone else could be looking at my medical records right now. No wonder this genius couldn't figure out what was  wrong with me, half of my records are probably in someone else's file! GRRRRR!!!

Any advice? What would you do?
Helpful - 0
744256 tn?1234842664
Update:

So, as you know, I've been calling all of my old doctors and hospitals, trying to get copies of my records. Well, I got the biggest surprise today and thought I should bring this to everyone's attention, so you don't procrastinate. I encourage everyone to tell their friends and family about this, as well. Lord knows that I never expected to get sick, and now that I am and I'm trying to trace things back, I'm finding it impossible.

Today, I received a return call from an old physician's office. The lady on the other end told me that they NO LONGER HAVE MY MEDICAL RECORDS!!!! They only keep medical records back to seven years! I have NEVER heard of this and just thought that they would keep them electronically, on microfiche, SOMETHING. Nope. No record. No record of my cancer. No record of the blood tests that they were doing every week to every other week - for four years (there were gaps here and there, where I'd get tired of being a guinea pig, but it was pretty regular, for the most part). No record for me to present to a doctor to find out why they told me that I "may have to have a bone marrow transplant". All of that is gone and I'm left clueless. Yes, I should have asked at the time, but I was young and just assumed that whatever test results led him to believe that were related to my cancer, therefore it was no longer relevant once my cancer was absolved. As time went on and I researched my cancer more, I realized those tests had NOTHING to do with the type of cancer I had.

I realize that all of those tests would be irrelevant now, but it surely would have been good to have all of that as a starting point, to track progression of whatever it was that was causing that particular irregularity, or for doctors to look back and link everything together.

All that lady would say was, "Didn't you have them forwarded to another doctor? Can't you get them from that doctor?" Well, no, I didn't. Again, I was young. Once the cancer was 'taken care of', I didn't see another PCP for a long time and didn't really think those records would be necessary anymore. Boy, do I feel like a fool, now! Also, the next PCP that I saw, I called their office and asked them, just to be sure, and they said that they didn't have them and even if they did, they couldn't release THOSE records to me, as they were property of the other PCP. Ummm, I'm confused. Once I signed a release for them to get copies of records from another office, didn't they become their property? Regardless, aren't they ALL MY records?

Anyway, I encourage everyone to check out this website and find out what the medical record retention laws are for your state! Don't let this happen to you! Oh, and some states (such as Indiana) only have to keep x-ray films, scans, and diagnostic images for FIVE years!

http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_012547.pdf

Helpful - 0
405614 tn?1329144114
Wow, that's interesting; the website (which is awesome, by the way) lists the acceptable amounts for other states, but for Indiana it just says they are allowed to charge you, including for postage.

I called my HIPAA expert friend, and she said that there SHOULD be a federal guidline about what each state is allowed to charge, but that there isn't.  She sounded disgusted.

Do you have a doctor that you have a good relationship with, that would request the records and then print them out for you, say at a more reasonable rate?  Or for free?  

If not, ask the doctor's office that you request records from what their standard rates are.  You can request specific records, to cut out unneccessary pages like billing and notes about a phone call you made; maybe just ask for results of all tests and the doctor's chart notes.  

I called a doctor's office once requesting really old records, and was told they destroy them after several years; a small town chiropractor.  

Now I always request my records as they are generated!

Good luck,

Kathy
Helpful - 0
744256 tn?1234842664
I'll check that out. I went checked on Indiana's HIPAA laws on another site. It said that they are allowed to charge up to an "acceptable amount". Who decides what's acceptable?

Lulu, if they charge a dollar a page, THERE GOES MY LIFE SAVINGS! LOL!
Helpful - 0
648910 tn?1290663083
i will keep this short because I must hurry off to PT.  Check out this website.  It has the laws for all states regarding medical records in simple terms.  Just put it back together.  In KY we are by law entitled to one free copy.

http://hpi.

georgetown.edu/
privacy/records.html
Helpful - 0
572651 tn?1530999357
I think they justify the charge to us because it takes time (person to do the copying) and resources (the copy machine and paper) to make the copies.  And don't forget the cost of the envelope and postage :-)  

Seriously, I sometimes think they charge just to discourage us from asking.  By law, there is a maximum amount per page that they can charge - I believe it might be $1. That can really add up if you have been seeing the same doctor for a while.  

This is a good example of why we tell everyone to get their medical records when they have tests done and not to wait - they are more likely to give them to you at no charge at the time than having to go back and do something special.

my best,
Lulu
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Multiple Sclerosis Community

Top Neurology Answerers
987762 tn?1671273328
Australia
5265383 tn?1669040108
ON
1756321 tn?1547095325
Queensland, Australia
1780921 tn?1499301793
Queen Creek, AZ
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease