What is the DMH policy for charging for record copies under HIPAA?
(A) Charges for Copying and Other Expenses Related to Copying and Access to PHI. As permitted by this Directive, PHI may be disclosed by photocopy or fax. A fee to cover costs of reproducing may be charged and collected in advance of providing copies in accord with DMH Regulation 87-4(D): “The first fifteen copies will be provided at no charge; beginning with the sixteenth copy, there will be a fee of twenty cents per page. If a request is made for records which are not readily available, the Department may determine a reasonable hourly rate for the expense of searching for and securing such records. The Department may also require a reasonable deposit for such anticipated expense from the person making the request prior to searching for or making copies of the records. ” The above reflects DMH regulations under S.C. law. Although there might have been another rate in place, (e.g., .50 per page, etc.), the above applies.
