Venting: doctors charging for your records

[Rajah]

After one final argument, I've decided to "fire" my allergy doctor (which in some ways is too bad because I really like the nurses there). I've found a new one that I've got an appointment with and I need my records so I don't have to go through all the allergy testing and such again.

It's $25 for the first 22 pages of records! Whether you have 1 sheet or 22 sheets, I have to pay $25 to get *MY* records!

Some of my other doctors will waive that fee if you'll let them fax the records to the new doctor instead.

Nope.

These guys not only won't waive that fee, they REFUSE to fax the records at all.

I'm just venting. It's been one thing after another with this office lately, and I am *NOT* happy with them. And to learn it's going to cost me $25 to fire them?

 

[Cindy B]

Yep, its common. My kids old pediatricians used to do that as well. That drove me nuts.

And it was for every camp/school form as well. $5 for each camp/school health form. If you had more than one form it was still $5 for each form. If you had more than one child, it got very costly.

 

[tiggerlover]

It is a shame isn't it, they are "our" records and we can't even have them. DH is in the military and all of "our" records belong to Uncle Sam, but at least we don't have to pay to get copies. Sorry to hear this, it really is a shame.

 

[mtblujeans]

I hear what you are saying, but if you ask the new doctor to request your records, the one dr will not charge the other dr to send them on to the new office. HOWEVER, the new dr will not give you a copy of the records. If you have worked in a dr's office, you also know that they do not give YOU all of the records in the file if you pay for a copy, either. Any personal comments or observations they make about you or your family members may be omitted if they provide a copy directly to you. I know people are not going to like my opinion but, for all of their positive ego, drs are a racket all their own! In my opinion.

 

[Maleficent13]

FWIW, it's not always true that the old doc won't charge the new doc for records. I have worked for several MDs, and we always charged for records, regardless of who requested them. It was a standard flat fee.

There are several reasons for this, actually. One is staff time that is required to locate and copy sometimes voluminous records. Also, it discourages people from being careless with or losing their records and then thinking "Oh, I'll just call up the MD and have them make another copy". When you attach a dollar figure to something, it makes people respect it more for some reason.

Also, the docs themselves usually have no idea that they charge for this service. It is usually an office manager or office administrator that decides to charge and how much. The docs don't usually pay attention to the back office runnings.

JMO.

eta: I know I'm probably in the minority here (and will probably make myself not so popular), but I really don't think they are the patient's records. What they are is a record created and maintained by the doc of his care, his treatment and recommendations. You as the patient have put forth no effort in the creation of those records. The doc, on the other hand, has cared for you, transcribed the record, paid a transcriptionist to type them, a file clerk to file them, and an office manager to manage them. They are his records, not yours. They just happen to be about you.

 

[Lachesis00]

My sister had to pay $300 for a year of her records. I had to pay $150 for six month at another doctors. (I can promise you it was not 22 pages (maybe 15) and it was a fairly small pratice.) Made me so mad!! $25 seems like nothing LOL.

 

[mtblujeans]

Originally posted by Maleficent13
FWIW, it's not always true that the old doc won't charge the new doc for records. I have worked for several MDs, and we always charged for records, regardless of who requested them. It was a standard flat fee.

There are several reasons for this, actually. One is staff time that is required to locate and copy sometimes voluminous records. Also, it discourages people from being careless with or losing their records and then thinking "Oh, I'll just call up the MD and have them make another copy". When you attach a dollar figure to something, it makes people respect it more for some reason.

Also, the docs themselves usually have no idea that they charge for this service. It is usually an office manager or office administrator that decides to charge and how much. The docs don't usually pay attention to the back office runnings.

JMO.

eta: I know I'm probably in the minority here (and will probably make myself not so popular), but I really don't think they are the patient's records. What they are is a record created and maintained by the doc of his care, his treatment and recommendations. You as the patient have put forth no effort in the creation of those records. The doc, on the other hand, has cared for you, transcribed the record, paid a transcriptionist to type them, a file clerk to file them, and an office manager to manage them. They are his records, not yours. They just happen to be about you.

With all due respect, if a dr feels he has to be another adults' 'parent' by attaching a fee to medical records so the adult will not loose them, that makes the point of how condescending drs are.

A medical person is just providing a service. The records belong to the person who is paying for the service. If one were to believe that the dr owns the records, the same could be said of your bank statement, vehicle maintenance records, social security/ssdi, dental records, etc.

 

[WDWAurora]

As a person who's had to copy/send patient records....ugh. We charged for it. It kept me (or whoever had to do it) from being able to do our "real" work for several hours (assuming it was someone who'd been a patient for a while, which most of his were, they usually didn't leave unless they moved or something) and basically cost him a lot of money. The job that most of us were normally busy doing was filing insurance, following up on insurance claims, and making sure bills were going out. So instead of earning him money, we were standing by a copier all day. Due to the way they're attached to the file, unless you want to take all the papers out, you have to open the copier between every page and turn it...Took forever. And it was usually the same patients who needed them over and over-either they never trusted any doctor's opinion, so they got 100 opinions (I understand a 2nd and 3rd, maybe even 4th if it's serious...but yeah) or they lost them. It was much easier to send them straight to the doctor. That way you bypass the middleman...I assume we charged the same if they went straight to the doctor, I can't remember...

I've always kind of seen the records as belonging to the doctor, since they are the doctor's responsibility to maintain for 7yrs (that was the rule for our type of office, varies according to the type of dr) and if they aren't there, the patient doesn't get in trouble, the dr does. For financial matters, etc., you are responsible for maintaining your own information (although the banks have to also, but ultimately it is your responsibility to keep records of financial matters). Anyway, that's just my opinion, and I respect those that some of you have presented. Just thought you'd like to see it from the other side. I'm sorry some of you feel so poorly towards doctors...I can promise you that they're not all bad! There are bad eggs in every group, not just the medical field, just as there are good ones in every field, including medical.

 

[minniecarousel]

Hey - get this one!: My Mom's opthamalogist decided that he would no longer accept her insurance (after doing both of her cataract surgeries & treating her for 3 years). So he charges her $20 to send all her records to the new opthamalogist (who, BTW, she doesn't like!) I think that's the ultimate insult!

 

[wvjules]

I totally agree with Malicifent and WDW Aurora. It takes personell time and effort, plus the cost of the paper, energy for the xerox machine, etc. I see charging for medical records as a very reasonable request.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Now you know why insurance companies charge fees up front when you apply for life insurance. They have to pay doctors for medical records, once the patient signs approval for them to do so.
SOme doctors charge next to nothing. Some fees are outrageous. Just like second opinions. If they don't like doing them, they charge more. (IMHO)

 

[jinxed]

There are several reasons for this, actually. One is staff time that is required to locate and copy sometimes voluminous records.

IMO these records were already paid for with each visit the patient made. If the doctor charges $80 for a visit, he spends quite a bit of time documenting in those records during the appointment.

 

[ZachnElli]

Originally posted by Maleficent13
JMO.

eta: I know I'm probably in the minority here (and will probably make myself not so popular), but I really don't think they are the patient's records. What they are is a record created and maintained by the doc of his care, his treatment and recommendations. You as the patient have put forth no effort in the creation of those records. The doc, on the other hand, has cared for you, transcribed the record, paid a transcriptionist to type them, a file clerk to file them, and an office manager to manage them. They are his records, not yours. They just happen to be about you.

Yeah, you know someone has to disagree and I couldn't disagree more! It's not just about you, it's extremely important and intimate information about you! I paid the doctor, therefore I did pay to have the transcriptionist and paid the file clerk and everyone else involved, that is one reason why seeing a doctor is so darned expensive! I have put forth creation into these records, by being there! If I didn't care, didn't want to be healthy or want answers, I wouldn't go at all! Most of my records are me going to the doctor and asking questions and asking for answers, if I didn't who would? He treated me, but doesn't call for me to follow up and get answers. I'd be more than happy if they just handed me a copy as I walked out the door. And no, even when going for a 3rd opinion or more, I've never asked for my records again, I made copies of my copies and it didn't take that long. And I have a book! Sorry, but I'm not one who thinks that doctor #1 is perfect and everything he/she says is golden. Science is constantly changing. I like to be informed about my health, it is MY health!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I do agree with Minnie carousel on her point. At one time a couple of years ago our insurance was not going to cover our doctor for me and DH, OR our pediatrician for our 3 kids. This was not my fault, it was negotiated. It was going to cost me $45 to switch everything and I had nothing to do with it. The doctor's opinion was that it was 'my choice'--no, it was their choice to drop my insurance carrier. Have you ever looked at the insurance to see what these guys charge regular people? A blood test I paid $10 for would have cost me $230 if I did NOT have insurance. Since I didn't want to pay that kind of $, I was going to switch doctors.
Luckily so many people in our union were having the same problem, they adopted another plan that the doctors accepted. But I do not think it is fair to charge if you MUST leave the doctor's care for insurance reasons.
This trend, BTW, has come in since 1991--my old doctor retired. He sold his practice to another doctor. I called one day to get in for some shoulder pain. They could see me--in 2 weeks!!!! I did a search and found the office we go to now. There are 6 doctors, so even if my doctor is not in that day or whatever I can usually see someone if I'm really ill. But when I went to get my records from doctor #1 they just handed me the envelope.
Robin M.

 

[Dizzy for Dsny]

I have worked in a doctor's office and most people don't realize that there are state guidelines as to how much a doctor can charge per so many pages and thereafter. I would suggest contacting your state medical board or there is an office that also takes care of patient rights. It's worth a shot. I know with an instance with our office (we didn't typically charge), where we would charge any lawyer who was requesting medical records for a personal injury case, but then again, there was a state guidelines as to what we could charge.

Hope this helps!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Well, I asked DH if he charged for records. He said they charge for files and x-rays because they have to make copies of them. The reason they can't GIVE you the records is because if that office gets audited they NEED those files. They can get audited 10-12 years back. They have to have every single note in place or it could be big fines.

He also said that if you are going to another Dr. in the area, they will send the x-rays to the Dr. for free as long as they mail them back.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

 

[Maleficent13]

He treated me, but doesn't call for me to follow up and get answers.

If your doctor doesn't provide good follow-up, then I'd really find a new doctor. All the doctors I've seen and worked for provide excellent follow-up. It really is the physician's fault if he's not taking good care of you, and he should be told that.

I made copies of my copies and it didn't take that long.

With all due respect, you, I assume, are able to form feed your copoes rather quickly, because someone, as I believe WDWAurora said, has already taken an immense amount of time to pull them off the bound chart and copy each page individually. Also, you are only copying your own records; not those of the 8 to 10 individuals a day who called and also want their records copied. I guarantee if you were, it would take you a considerable length of time.

Sorry, but I'm not one who thinks that doctor #1 is perfect and everything he/she says is golden.

I don't think I even came close to alluding that I though all docs were perfect. As a matter of fact, I had an argument just this afternoon with my own doctor re: a test I didn't feel was necessary. I don't see what that has to do with his staff copying records.

If you have a good MD, you don't need his notes to tell you what he thinks. He will have already told you. If he's not communicating with you, then you have bigger issues.

Again, I just think that as someone else said, it's our responsibility by law to maintain and protect those records for a specific length of time; usually at least 7 to 10 years depending on the state. If we don't do that, then the doc can be fined or have his license suspended. The state tells us those are the docs records and they belong to him to maintain.

My bank charges me if I want the checks I write returned to me; $2.00 a check. Do you think that's fair, considering I paid for those checks to be printed and I wrote them to my bill companies and they are part of my financial record? I see it as much the same issue.

Again, JMO.

 

[mtblujeans]

My bank does not charge me for my cancelled checks. I don't know any bank in town who does. I think when it comes to the fees we are discussing - it is "whatever the market will (allow)". What ever the professional can charge and someone will pay, they charge it. If people, in mass would not pay it, there would be no charge. I am also a clerical person. Other than charging for the copy paper, I feel copies are part of my job. Falls under the "other duties as assigned" description.

 

[kilee]

That fee is outrageous. I manage a medical office here in NY (near Buffalo). There is a state imposed limit on what we can charge for medical records. The state has said we can charge no more than $0.75 per page. In addition, we cannot tack on any additional fee's. We do charge the $0.75 a page, it is to cover postage (if applicable), paper, ink, person's time, ect.

As for the bank-- around here you are hard pressed to find a bank that will provide you w/ copies of cancelled checks. Most of our banks are bigger multi-state banks. They won't do it. We do have 2 different small local chains and I believe 1 or the 2 does provide a photocopy of the check.