Can a doctor charge a patient for copies of the medical records?
The Doctor may charge the patient to copy the records, which cannot be greater than $1.00 per page or $100.00 for the entire record, whichever is less. If the record is less than 10 pages, the doctor may charge $10 . A “service fee” may not be charged apart from these amounts. Charges for copies of x-rays and other documents which cannot be reproduced by ordinary photocopying machines are to be charged at the actual costs to reproduce them. The Doctor has 30 days after he/she receives a written request from the patient. If the patient had provided a set of records from the patient’s previous Doctor, the patient has a right to have these included as part of the entire medical record. Physicians may not refuse to release a copy of a patient’s medical record if they are needed for on going treatment if the patient owes money for the medical services the physician provided. The physician, however, can hold the record until the patient pays for the costs to reproduce the record. There is an
