united-states california health massachusetts
Can a lab make patients pay to access test results?
<p>Can a lab make patients pay to access their test results (e.g. blood test results)? The results are sent to the physicians, but the patients need to pay to access the results from the lab, even though the patients have already paid to perform the test. </p>

<hr>

<p>I am mostly interested in the following locations:</p>

<ul>
<li>California, United States</li>
<li>Massachusetts, United States</li>
<li>Paris, France</li>
<li>Seoul, South Korea</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>California</strong>:</p>

<p>Results from lab tests ordered by a health care professional must be provided by the health care professional to the patient if the patient requests them. This is codified in <a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=hsc&amp;group=123001-124000&amp;file=123100-123149.5" rel="nofollow">California Health and Safety Code 123148</a>. That section states:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>(i) A patient may not be required to pay a cost, or be charged a fee, for electing to receive his or her laboratory results in a manner other than by Internet posting or other electronic form.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>Massachusetts:</strong></p>

<p>Massachusetts' law allows for a charge of $15 for each request of records plus a per page charge of $0.50 for each of the first 100 pages and $0.25 for each page in excess of 100 pages. There are some exceptions to the charges for certain conditions in <a href="https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXVI/Chapter111/Section70" rel="nofollow">Massachusetts law</a>.</p>

<p><strong>United States</strong>:</p>

<p>If your health care provider transmits health records electronically then they are covered by the Privacy Act. If they are covered by the Privacy Act then they cannot <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/medicalrecords.html" rel="nofollow">deny you a copy of your records</a> however:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>...a provider may charge for the reasonable costs for copying and mailing the records.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Current US law says no. You can always request a copy of your medical records for no more than the cost of reproduction. We note that electronic distribution costs nothing these days and is already required to exist due to other laws.</p>
