medical records copying

This web page lists the various state statutes that control the amount of money doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers can charge a patient for copies of their medical records, as well as records provided to the patient's attorney or law firm for use in personal injury cases. Note that under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) a covered entity can only charge "reasonable" cost-based fees for providing the medical records to patients. See 45 CFR 164.524(c). Arguably, fees that are not cost-based, even if permitted by a state statute, may be contrary to the HIPAA regulation and therefore preempted by this federal regulation.