Obtaining Dental Records

[njmomtoone]

Switching dentists for my son. The new office called the old office for records. I just got a call from the old office and they want to charge me $25 for the records. Can they do that? Just never heard of that. I have switched doctor's for him and never had a charge.

 

[Mickeys.friend]

Yup...we just switched dentist's and the old dentist charged $25 for EACH set of records transfered....Sad...but they all do it...
(forgot to add that they can get away with it because most dental insurance has rules about how often and what type of x-rays you can have each year or every 3 years, etc....soo the $25 you pay to transfer records is cheaper than having the new dentist retake x-rays etc... sice you'd most likely have to pay full price oiut of pocket to have them done again)

 

[ccgirl]

Switching dentists for my son. The new office called the old office for records. I just got a call from the old office and they want to charge me $25 for the records. Can they do that? Just never heard of that. I have switched doctor's for him and never had a charge.

Yes, as the PP stated dentists and doctor's can and will do that. Not all but a good deal certainly do.

 

[Emily_H]

I am a hygienist. This is not common practice in my area. You should not have to pay for your records. BUT, some offices do this, not all. If your old office will not send over current x-rays without a fee, simply request that your new doctor not take any x-rays until your insurance company will pay for them again. Most insurance companies will pay for bitewing x-rays once per year (sometimes twice) so this shouldn't be an issue for your new dentist. I know it never has been at my office.
Hope this helps

 

[fireflymedic]

Can you ask for thim in person and not get charged the $25 (maybe its a shipping charge). It seems to me they belong to the pt. you paid for thim with the visit.

Geezzzz this is just so wrong.

 

[jmartinez1895]

Can you ask for thim in person and not get charged the $25 (maybe its a shipping charge). It seems to me they belong to the pt. you paid for thim with the visit.

Geezzzz this is just so wrong.

I worked in a doctors office and we ran into this all the time. The records belong to the doctor ( strange, but true). In most cases even when you get your records they are not your whole file because most doctors make private notes in your file that they will not give out.

 

[Swimalie]

Yes, most do this now. Just think about it, they have to run your records off on a copier or print them from a file plus take the time to make sure they have everything. This takes time and paper on their part not to mention any shipping to a new location.

 

[gacompguy]

HIPAA allows providers to charge for the reasonable costs for copying and mailing records: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/medicalrecords.html

 

[fireflymedic]

Yes, most do this now. Just think about it, they have to run your records off on a copier or print them from a file plus take the time to make sure they have everything. This takes time and paper on their part not to mention any shipping to a new location.

My dentest has every thing on a computer. He may make notes after we leave in hand but I bet he doesnt. the x-rays are on it and he tells the help what to type down while he is in the kids mouth. would be so easy for thim to elec. tx the files.

At least its the only and last time you will have to pay that fee to him/her

 

[ceecee]

I am a hygienist. This is not common practice in my area. You should not have to pay for your records. BUT, some offices do this, not all. If your old office will not send over current x-rays without a fee, simply request that your new doctor not take any x-rays until your insurance company will pay for them again. Most insurance companies will pay for bitewing x-rays once per year (sometimes twice) so this shouldn't be an issue for your new dentist. I know it never has been at my office.
Hope this helps

This is not common practice in our area either. The only records most dentists need are the xrays (pano or full mouth series). The bite wings (to check for decay) are usually done yearly anyway and insurance will pay for them yearly. The others are usually once in 3-5 years though. Especially with a child, I wouldn't bother transferring them.

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

It varies,

Some providers will forward a copy of your record to your new provider free of charge. But like a PP said, it may not be a full and complete set, more of like a slimed-down set.

If you want to physically recieve the records yourself, they absolutely may charge you what-ever they set their fee as.

We just obtains DH father records. The first 20 pages were .25 cents. each add. page $1. It was $50 total and fit in a regular manilla 9x11.

 

[azdizzymom]

I paid for doctor's records years ago when we switched to our current pediatrician's office. I believe it was $25-$35 at the time for my boys records. I switched physicians a few years back and got records at no charge.

We as a family switched dentists last year and did not pay for our records. I know they didn't send the entire records to the new dentist but enough so new dentist had current x-rays, etc. IDK if it helped that we left on good terms (old dentist understood we were switching only due to costs---insurance didn't pay as much for his services and new dentist was less than half the cost). I carefully explained why and they understood.

As others stated it varies. As if there is anything you can do to cut the costs. I was expecting to have to pay for the dental records. See if you can cut by having just past year records sent or something (IDK if that is even possible).

good luck with new dentist!