Medical Record Copying Fee Limits Up Slightly in 2012

Physicians sometimes do not know how much to charge a patient or a third party for providing copies of medical records.

The per-page amount providers may charge for copying medical records will increase slightly in 2012. Patients may only be charged for copying and mailing costs, up to $1.39 (up 5 cents) per page for pages 1-20, 1.03 cents (up four cents) per page for pages 21-60, and 34 cents per page (up one penny) for pages 61 and up. Patients may not be charged for the cost of searching for and retrieving the medical record.

Use our convenient chart showing more complete charge information.

The pricing adjustments are based on the federal Consumer Price Index, which was 3.5 percent from Oct. 31, 2010 to Oct. 31, 2011.

The Pennsylvania Judicial Code and federal law limit the allowable charges and in some cases prohibit any charge.  Act 26 of 2006 and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) set limits for medical record copying charges but do not mandate that fees be charged.

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Comments: 5


1.39 A PAGE IS A SCAM EVEN IF ALLOWED BY LAW. It would be cheaper to drive to staples and make copies. Yet another sign of a broken health care system when i have to pay a terrible doctor to obtain my sons records to transfer him to one where he wont see a nurse practitioners EVERY visit

anonymous at 5/2/2012 9:09:04 PM


Maureen, we recommend that you read our legal brief on patient rights regarding the medical record. http://www.pamedsoc.org/MainMenuCategories/Government/LawsAffectingPhysicians/LegalBriefs/MedicalRecords/PatRights.pdf

PA Medical Society at 3/12/2012 10:13:30 AM


What are the guidelines re: patients transferring to another provider? I had a family telling me today that I was running a scam since I was asking for a copying fee.

Maureen at 3/8/2012 4:42:25 PM


You may apply charges in this case. We hear from a number of physicians who waive the fee if the records are requested by another physician.

PA Medical Society at 12/22/2011 1:37:26 PM


I want to verify that we cannot apply these charges to the patient when mailing the records to another physician. Please let me know if this is not correct.

CMD at 12/21/2011 12:45:49 PM

Last Updated: 1/9/2012
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