Is it customary to charge for tranferring medical files?

[CalicoKat]

my dr. wants $25 for this. I understand postage and copying might incur a fee. But this seemd a little steep.

[lynn]

It has become more common.

[Michelle in AL]

Yes, because of the costs of copying and employee time (up to one hour), which wouldn't matter if it was just one record, but multiple records=dollars.

[stripe]

I was asked to sign a form saying the records would be 25c a page (they are copied by some third party that comes in once a week). Then I received a bill detailing totally different charges (so much [like $1] each for the first 10 pages, so much for the next batch of pages [about 50c], and a lower rate yet [15c or something] for extra pages) that totaled higher than the price agreed to. I sent in a check for 25c / page, with a copy of the records request and a letter of explanation, and this seemed to suffice.

 

I paid around $14 for them. (There were not very many pages. This was for an infant.)

 

I had a copy sent to me, and then *I* made a copy and give to the new doctor. That way I saved funds if I ever want the records a second time, and got to see what was in the file. Which was irritating.

[LaxMom]

I have never incurred a fee if the request for records was initiated by my new doctor, only if I requested the copies myself. Odd.

[LizzyBee]

I have never incurred a fee if the request for records was initiated by my new doctor, only if I requested the copies myself. Odd.

 

Same here.

[Lakeside]

Yes, unfortunately it seems to be. I was unfamiliar with this until the past few years. I thought it was particularly ridiculous when the doctor's office would not even give the results to my primary care physician who was the one who had requested the tests. That just doesn't seem right to me. :confused:

[Scuff]

I used to work for a company that requested records for insurance companies. It was common to pay and $25 was about average. I think they probably started chargin because of compnies like that. ;) It's also why they charge you and not the new Dr. Most don't really care to charge the patient/Dr, just want to get the life insurance cos. And some of the larger clinics charge everyone because they have a whole department just to handle this.

[Janet in Toronto]

My Family Doc (when we were in Atlanta) made a very strong point to me that the records belong to the patient and that they are kept at his office for convenience and safe-keeping. I requested copies of every lab test at the time they were done and they were always prepared for me at no charge. When we left Atlanta, copies of our records (all 4 family members) were copied and handed to us at no charge.

 

I would check the state laws on privacy/records if it is a concern to you. Or maybe my doctor was just....odd or something.

[JFSinIL]

My kid's neuro contacted with a service that charged about $35 per kid!!!! for files when he left the state and we had to find a new doc. :-(

[G5052]

We've spent I don't know how many hundreds of dollars on getting DH's medical records over the last four year for various insurance and disability claims. Some of the doctors and hospitals charge quite a bit IMHO, one set of hospital records for a six-week stay was almost $100 because we wanted everything -- nurse's notes, doctor's notes, and tests.

 

I've had a few offices wave the fees if it's just a page or so and they're not busy, but that's not the norm.

[LaxMom]

My Family Doc (when we were in Atlanta) made a very strong point to me that the records belong to the patient and that they are kept at his office for convenience and safe-keeping. I requested copies of every lab test at the time they were done and they were always prepared for me at no charge. When we left Atlanta, copies of our records (all 4 family members) were copied and handed to us at no charge.

 

I would check the state laws on privacy/records if it is a concern to you. Or maybe my doctor was just....odd or something.

 

Nope, when I worked for an internist 15 years ago in MD, it was the same. If somebody wanted to charge me $100 for records, they would have to simply release the originals and make copies for themselves. But, then, I'm not nice, particularly when it comes to hospitals that have STAFF specifically to deal with medical records. Sorry, that's one of the many things they pay them wages for.

[Plaid Dad]

I'm really surprised to hear about these charges. We've never had to pay to get our medical records transferred. I guess I should count myself lucky!

[JudoMom]

I have never incurred a fee if the request for records was initiated by my new doctor, only if I requested the copies myself. Odd.

 

I was told that the requesting doctor's office paid the fee when I had mine transferred. If I wanted them sent to me directly I would've had to pay the fee.

[Guest janainaz]

I have never incurred a fee if the request for records was initiated by my new doctor, only if I requested the copies myself. Odd.

 

same here, too.