Is it illegal for a doctor's office to withhold medical records until a bill is paid? (Pennsylvania)?
823447
I am going to make your research real simple here.  Call the state licensing medical board in Pennsylvania and ask them.  Tell them what is going on.  It is unethical for a doctor to withhold medical records from a patient, especially if their life or well being is at stake.\n\nThe hospital and/or doctor may request that you pay a fee for coping expenses of said records, but if the medical bill itself is not paid that shouldn't really matter.\n\nIf you have a doctor requesting the records, because you are changing physicians, it is normal to give a copy of your medical records for free to the said physician as a professional courtesy.\n\nGood Luck and Take Care
367947
As mentioned, this is a federal law, so there really aren't any state by state issues.\n\nHIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) gives the patient the right to view their records.  It does not matter if the practitioner is an MD, PhD, MSW, etc.  The practitioner (all of the above) can choose to redact portions of the record if they feel that the material can cause safety issues for the patient, but they cannot refuse the entire record.\n\nThe practitioner may charge reasonable fees for providing a copy of your record, as he is right in stating the record belongs to him.\n\nIf you don't get a resolution, you may file a complaint with  the Secretary of Health and Human Services through the Office for Civil Rights, US Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 509F HHH Building, Washington, D.C. 20201\n\nPlease don't consider this legal advice in any way, but I work for a behavioral health care organization, and I asked our HIPAA compliance officer who confirmed the above to be accurate.
1091021
If they are ur records they are technically ur property...soooo u should be able to go there w/ a picture I.D. and tell them you need ur records...for some reason nowadays they do make u pay a fee (i got my husbands records and it didnt have the length of 13 surgerys and it was like $20.) There should be no problem..Dont give up u tell em whats what if they think they can just say tuff shit then they will walk all over you.\nG/L
422932
HIPAA laws say that you are obligated to a copy of your medical records.  Call your doctor's office and they should comply (some may charge you a copy fee).
712012
U should not be able to pull health info up on the internet. It is too easy to hack into and woulg violate hippa laws. U will have to wait for ur appointment. U can go to the hospital and talk to a patient liason or social worker and request a copy of ur medical record, but u should really wait for the dr.
741065
Doctors are under a legal obligation to make sure your records are accessible and intact after they retire, go out of business or die.\n\nYou should have been notified that your records were transferred, I believe this would fall under HIPPA laws, which are Federal.\n\nBy the tone of your question, I feel you feel violated because of the transfer of your file.  And I can understand that.  But what would have been a better option?  The only other option he could have had would be to destroy your file and then you would be left with an incomplete medical history which could prove detrimental to future diagnosis.\n\nUnder current laws the doctor is obligated to maintain your history, yet he has the right to retire.  I personally would not want my medical records kept in my retired docs garage, then if I needed them, my 90 year old former doctor (or his children) to go out and search moldy boxes to find my records.\n\nWhen you find another primary physician, ask them to assist you in contacting the facility where your records are currently being kept and to get a full and complete file transferred to your new docs.
45082
This is horrible. I can't believe they did this to you. Holding a patient down has to be reviewed and has many checks and balances here. The patient has to be a danger to themselves/others. You obviously weren't.I would sue. I would speak with an attorney and see what records they can get and see what legal recourse there can be. First and foremost complain complain complain. Write a letter to the hospital administration explaining how upset you are. They will investigate extensively and will inform you of the results. Good luck and I am so sorry that this happened to you.
777654
The law states medical records only have to be kept for 7 years from date of service.  The records from the 40's were probably purged long ago and destroyed.  Since she just passed away 7 years ago, the records may not have been purged yet, but are due to be purged and destroyed.  However, if she is not going to the same doctor that she did in the 40's or the same clinic or hospital, chances are you will not be able to obtain them.  Sorry, with all the laws now a days, it would be hard to get them anyway.
209231
you should check with the BBB or the medical malpractice section of your local courthouse.  (probably their records department)
190622
I'm fairly certain that you have an absolute right to your own medical records and can request them directly from the physician.\n\nI'm also pretty certain that they can charge reasonable fees for copying, but this may vary by state.\n\nI don't think you can force the Dr. to alter your records, though, so even if you find a misstatement, I'm not sure how you can remedy that.
914325
A doctor can remove most of them. Say they hurt if you want an insurance company to pay the bill.
116951
Actually, there is no time limit for a physician to bill\nfor services rendered. \nAre you the executor of the estate? The physician's office should be directed to that person. Is the physician even aware that the person is deceased?  They should be told. Some physician offices will ask for copy of the  death certificate for verification. If the bill is coming from a collection agency, then the 5 year rule that was mentioned previously would apply.
53127
Good luck...its hard to unring the bell sometimes. Your existing medical records are out there and there is little you can do to "erase" them.\n\nYou can limit some of the future information from getting too wide spread.  A new federal law on medical privacy, HIPAA, went into effect April 14, 2003.  See the link below
1182033
No. While it is true that it is the doctor's office owns the record itself, the patient has a right to the information that is in the records. Usually the patient has to sign a form authorizing the release of the information in the records. This should have nothing to do with whether or not the patient has an outstanding balance in their account.
495209
my husband went through this a few years ago. he paid 5 dollars to each doctor for COPIES of his records. and one doctor eventually figured out what was wrong - mineers (don't think i spelled that right) dis ease.\nhe went to several different docs for about 10 years before ONE figured it out.\nthis is YOUR life and YOUR health. don't leave it in the hands of a doc who is not doing YOU right. PLEASE.
946276
Not talking to them is the key. The last time I talked to a bill collector they asked for my information claiming that they needed to update their records. And may times a bill collector will attempt to intimidate you into giving them the info. They told me that making the payment arrangement required me to give them the name of my employer, their address, and the phone number. I admit I was too much of a wuss to stand up to them so I gave them a bunch of false information.
66272
Any visit to the doctor's office usually results in a co-pay.  They might have been nice and doing it for free for a ling time.  Do understand that medical liability insurance is very costly, someone had to schedule an appointment for you and update your file after your blood pressure check.