William Stacy <wstacy@obase.net> wrote in news:V%Mth.75342$wP1.71458
@newssvr14.news.prodigy.net:

From http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3257/is_12_57/ai_n6068597
****
The preamble to HIPAA privacy standards section 164.524 (c)--Provision
of Access further states:

  We clarify this provision in the final rule. If the individual
  requests a copy protected health information, a covered entity may
  charge a reasonable, cost-based lee for the copying, including the
  labor and supply costs of copying. If hard copies are made, this
  would include the cost of paper. If electronic copies are made to a
  computer disk, this would include the cost of the computer disk.
  Covered entities may not charge any fees for retrieving or handling
  the information or for processing the request. If the individual
  requests the information to be mailed, the fee may include the cost
  of postage. Fees for copying and postage provided under state law,
  but not for other costs excluded under this rule, are presumed
  reasonable. If such per page costs include the cost of retrieving
  of handling the information, such costs are not acceptable under
  this rule (emphasis added).
****

So, while state mandated fees can be superceded by HIPAA, HIPAA generally
classifies state mandates as "reasonable".  States vary, but a handling
charge of $10-$20 plus a per page in the range of $0.25-$1.00 are not
atypical.

Personally, I think it would be great if the doc's office did this as a
courtesy.  If the office really needs to recover costs, something akin to
1 hours base pay for a receptionist plus 10-15 cents a page sounds very
reasonable.

I wonder how many docs charge for this, and how much is usual.  I never
have, and maybe I'm missing the boat...

Don't know the laws where you live, but in Ontario, Canada, you are
entitled to the information contained in the records but the physical
record belongs to the doctor.  The doctor is required to provide a
summary of the records or a photocopy of them to you upon your request;
you must allow sufffient time for copying and the doctor is allowed to
charge you a fee for copying or for preparing the summary report.

Walking in and demanding will not allow time; call ahead and be
prepared to pay.  If you are switching doctors and don't want to
confront the old doctor, the new doctor can request a summary.  You may
still have a fee to pay the old doctor.

Dr Judy

Would it be reasonable to request all my RGP contact fitting
information from my previous doc, including topographies?  I'd like to
just walk in there and get them, but I'm not sure if they'll give me
trouble.

I wonder the same about general medical records actually.  Can I walk
into the hospital and just say "give me my file"?

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