Venting: doctors charging for your records

[delilah]

Actually, your medical records are about you, but, they actually belong legally to the doctor who generated them. We also can't legally send the records we received from your previous physician, due to privacy concerns--only the records we generated. It also, in our case, takes about two weeks, at minimum, for records to be mailed from one office to another. Our fax machines (we have three), are usually busy constantly, so, it is not usually very practical to fax a large amount of chart material. (I feel sorry for anybody who would try).

 

[Mermaid02]

I learned in some of my medical office classes that although the INFORMATION in the records belongs to YOU- the actual paper record belongs to the DR.

The office is charging for their time and supplies- not your medical information.

 

[Mskanga]

I'm sorry but to have to pay for my own records I think is a rip off. When I go to the doctors office I pay an average of $70-80 just for a visit that is 5-10 minutes long, and I pay everything that is involved in the practice, down to the cleaning lady.
For me when they say it takes time away from the receptionist or secretary from doing her duties is not justified, copying and taking care of patients records ARE their duties, it's part of the job WE PAY FOR with our visits. So does that mean I should also pay for everytime I call the doctor's office to make an appointment ? or is answering the phone part of their job?
I had that situation nine years ago when my pediatrician wanted to charge me $15 per kid to release the records, after almost two months of my new pediatrician requesting them and not getting them , I paid the old doc a visit and I found that he had retired a month before and half of his records were sitting in a wide open room for anyone to take, mine were sitting on the floor still in the folders!!!
Now the question is also , when a new doc gets records from another one, and then down the road you change docs again....do we have to pay to transfer those records again?
And to the one who said we just don't put effort into saving our records, my doctor's office has everything computerized, there are no papers to fill out ever , they input everything into the system as they check you out in the room, the only thing we ever get is the bill receipt.
I just don't think they should charge for records based on someone has to get the file out, copy it , and that takes time away from their real duties, doing that is part of their duties in my opinion.

 

[Doc and Family]

Mermaid, you are correct, the information is yours, but the paper belongs to the practice.

It takes time to copy the records.
It takes a copy machine.
It takes copy paper.
All of these things cost money.

No one wants to pay for their records, and I don't blame them.

But, why should I, or any other physician have to pay for them--for whatever reason you are finding another MD.

Everytime you call a lawyer, he charges you for his "time".
Ever have your doctor charge you when you called for advice?
Does your doctor ever charge you for calling? Even at 2:00 am?
Is not medical advice as important as legal advice? But it does take time, and most MDs I know don't mind doing it. If we can keep our offices less clogged, we will. If we can do anything to help our patients, we will.


But, as far as charging for records--ask your lawyer for your records and see what they charge. We don't set our rates for copying records to make a profit--we (my group) have actually had it analyzed and actually lose (albeit a small amount) everytime we copy records-but it is fair to both parties, we think.

You can ask to see your records at any time--the information contained in there is yours. Feel free to come by and request the chart and sit down and copy everything yourself--that is an option.

The charge is usually to cover expenses only--anything else would be unethical--IMHO.

 

[Rajah]

Okay, I can understand charging for the paper and copier used if you're picking up your own copies. I can even understand a smaller fee for the time it would take to fax. But to *refuse* to send records to another doctor? Just one more reason this particular office has now been "fired". I'm just lucky my GP was willing to step in and cover the problem for me (give me the prescription that was the final straw with this other doctor) for the ONE MONTH I was going to be delayed.

 

[Doc and Family]

Rajah,
I agree. To refuse to send records is stupid and could endanger someones future health care and anyone who refuses to send records should be shot--or something a little less drastic maybe.

Remember-doctors are people, too. And some people are stupid. Therefore...

Have a great day!

 

[want2retire]

I don't think it is unreasonable for a physician's office to charge a nominal fee for making copies of patient records no matter who requests them, but I don't think it should be a source of revenue, either. At our high school, we pay for copies of our children's transcripts to be sent to colleges to which they are sending applications. These are "our" records. In our city, the police department charges for copies of auto accident reports. These, too, are "our" records. On the other hand, my husband and I own a small independent insurance agency. We are frequently asked to provide copies of insurance documents to our clients. These are documents that have already been mailed to the client, but have been misplaced, etc. We have never charged to make copies. Perhaps we should? For some reason, I don't think this would go over too well with our customers and I try to remember that while we are providing a service for them, we wouldn't be in business without them. Unfortunately, most physicians don't feel the same way as evidenced by the way that they generally do not value "our" time as much as their own--overbooking resulting in LONG wait times and many times not even an apology for that long wait. And the schools and police department don't seem to "value our business" either. LOL.

 

[Deb in IA]

Originally posted by Rajah
And to learn it's going to cost me $25 to fire them?

This is not exactly true, is it, Tammy? The $25 is for the copies of the records, right? The doctor's office doesn't charge a termination fee, do they?

 

[jinxed]

Ok, so if the information in the records belongs to me, but the actual paper belongs to the doctor and they charge for the supplies and time to make copies....how about if I go with my own paper and pen and hand copy them myself or show me to the copier, I can copy them myself.

Just kidding of course... too much coffee today has me hyper.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I really don't have a problem with a nominal copying fee, but I think $25 is a bit much.

I have been blessed to not have to pay for copies yet from my docs. I called my GI a few months ago to see if I could get copies the next time I was in, they told me to just remind the receptionist when I arrived. I asked her how much it would be, and she told me not to worry about it... Same went for the wound care center, when I was seeing them. I also know that my GI, GYN, and PCP all exchange my records often... I've saw my GI chart last time i was in, and there were copies of letters that my GI had written and sent to my GYN and PCP about my recent medical issues and latest lab results. I feel blessed to have docs that work so well together, and I know they're not charging each other for sharing information. My GI told me when I graduate and move and change docs, they will make sure and get all the info to my new doc and such for me for free...

maybe because I see my docs so often??? The office staff at my GI are almost like friends now =) LOL! They all know me by name, come in and visit with me, etc.

 

[CarolA]

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.

In the eyes of the LAW the records are considered patient confidential information. The patient is considered the "owner" or his/her protected health information and within limits has some say on how this can be used. Also, the Doctor and his staff have been compensated for the act of making records. (And the records are mostly a CYA)

 

[Deb in IA]

Originally posted by CarolA
(And the records are mostly a CYA)

Actually, records are a medical document that concisely documents a patient's disorders, health history, related signs and symptoms, and describes pertinent physical findings, outlines impressions, differential dignoses, instructions and recommendations, so that a basis of comparison can be used for future visits.

 

[CajunDixie]

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.

These records cannot just be handed over. In my office we have to keep everything for at least 7 years. If we get audited I have to be able to pull out the PT file and paper receipts from their payments. When we get someone that was involved in some sort of accident we have to dig back through old files, take the file apart, make copies, and mail the copies. Why should we have to pay for the time, paper, ink and postage? We charge $15 for records and I don't think its that big of a deal.

As for someone else's post about a Dr refusing a certain insurance maybe you should check into why they no longer accept it. I know I can't stand working with BC/BS nor do I like when insurance companies assume we'll take an adjustment. For example one company paid about $600 on a $900 bill. And told us we couldn't bill the PT for the balance. We already get insulted by how much Medicare and Medicaid paid so we very rarely accept adjustments (usually only for a PT we know has financial difficulties). I called the PTs insurance company and was told they were just trying to help the PT and we would have to wait another 35-40 days for them to decide if they were going to pay us anymore on that claim. As for BC/BS I am sick of them sending the money for the claim to the PT.....we took the time to fill out the claim and mail it with the PTs permission to collect the money. Yet BC/BS often times sends the payment to the PT and then the PT considers it their money.

Maybe Dr should just charge a fee upfront just in case a PT ever needs copies of their records.......but then you'd get people complaining about paying money for a service they don't need.

 

[mtblujeans]

Originally posted by Doc and Family
The charge is usually to cover expenses only--anything else would be unethical--IMHO.

There it is....in a nutshell. This is what the outrage is about. Unethical to gouge the patient the doctor has been "nurturing" all those years.

 

[Rajah]

Originally posted by mtblujeans
There it is....in a nutshell. This is what the outrage is about. Unethical to gouge the patient the doctor has been "nurturing" all those years.

EXACTLY.

I wouldn't have even started this thread if the cost for the records really represented the cost for the materials and some reasonable time amount. But I could take those same records, run over to Kinko's, and make my own copies and it wouldn't cost me more than about $3!

That's $22+ for the act of *making* the copies! And I can't believe that it takes 2-3 hours to make a single copy of one person's records.

 

[Rajah]

Originally posted by Doc and Family
Rajah,
I agree. To refuse to send records is stupid and could endanger someones future health care and anyone who refuses to send records should be shot--or something a little less drastic maybe.

Remember-doctors are people, too. And some people are stupid. Therefore...

Have a great day!

Or, in my case, fired. No way will I be returning to this office, nor will I recommend him to any friends or family because of this type of attitude.

And as my husband likes to say, 50% of all doctors graduated in the *bottom half* of their class. I'm beginning to feel this particular doctor is one of those.

 

[Rajah]

Originally posted by Deb in IA
This is not exactly true, is it, Tammy? The $25 is for the copies of the records, right? The doctor's office doesn't charge a termination fee, do they?

Yes and no.

I can walk out of there and never pay them another cent. There's no termination fee.

But if I want to have another doctor pick up where this one left off (which, since it's an allergy doctor, means I *don't* want to have to go through allergy testing again), I have to get the records to the new doctor.

This office won't transfer records to another doctor. See, if they did that, then they couldn't charge me $25.

So in order to get my records so that I don't have to go through testing again, it's going to cost me $25. In effect, costing me $25 to change doctors.