Obtaining Records

[Cathi]

Oh my gosh, I am completed astounded! I sent away for my records and my son's records to the hospital where I had my csection almost 2 years ago. Honestly, this was the first time I could actually bring myself to THINK about reading them. Anyway, so I get a letter from them today with two invoices. They are asking $53.14 for my son's records and $87.22 for mine.


OH MY GOSH!!! Is this normal? There is a $35.30 search fee for both, then copying fees ($1.18 PER PAGE) and postage.

I was prepared to pay like $25 for each of us, but $150???? What should I do? I really want my own copies, but can I have my midwife request them on my behalf? Maybe they wouldn't charge another provider? I wish I hadn't waited so long, maybe they wouldn't have charged the search fees. But still.....geez, the $10,000 surgery fee wasn't enough?

Dh is gonna flip.

[peggy]

I needed a copy of my medical record because my insurance company wanted me to get a second opinion. It cost me $90 and the insurance company wouldn't even pay!! I was astounded as well! I never knew they did that..they weren't even sending them to me..but to another Dr.!! Ugh!

[Starfire]

Wow, what states are you in?

We live in MN and medical charts are a patients right, and we get them for free. You might have to call a bunch of times, or go and wait for them to get them, but by law they have to give them to you. All of them, so any little notes made from any doctor has to be included.

i guess i would have been shocked, I am shocked that they tell you to pay for them? Sorry just had to put my two cents in.

[Chi-Chi Mama]

I asked for copies of my and dd records a year after her birth.

got all of my records.. free. didn't even have the pay postage!! So I think what they're asking is ridiculous!!!!!

but never got anything for dd.. forgot to bug them again.

[XM]

Have your doctor request them for you... they will (or they do here in WA at least) provide them to your care provider at no charge, since it is relevant to your health that your provider have those records.

Sick, huh? The hospital wanted to charge me almost $100 for Xiola's birth records, but sent them to my midwife for free.

XM

[Eman'smom]

When I requested mine, they sent me a billing notice (what they would charge) with the request info. It was something like the first 3 pages free than 50 cents a page for coping, I thought it was worth it. Then when they found out I only wanted "one visits worth" my hospitalization for birth they said it was free.

It would have been free if another doctor requested them (this was the case for our son), so we requested the copy for the doctor and hospital messed up, and gave us a copy and sent him a copy. I'd call your provider, it does sound pretty steep.

[shanetedissac]

When I requested my records in NY state I was told that I had to pay for the cost to have them copied at a reasonable cost. I opted to pick them up. I would check into the legal part of it. I believe that the nation has a freedom of information act that would permit you access to your information. Look into it. Sometimes places have policies that are just there because they know people will not bother to work around it.

Take care-

[tinyshoes]

Whoah.

When I requested both my and dd's records from the hosptial, mine were sent free w/ no probs, but I got a wierd 'we want to charge you $40, $13.50 for the process fee, and $x for each page.

And I'm in Minnesota! Dh was supposed to call and yell at them, but never did.

I highly encourage you to call and yell and see what is up! I would wager the FIRST set of info *has* to be free or reasonably priced, right?