Under HIPAA, what must a healthcare provider do if a patient requests a copy of their medical records?

Under HIPAA, when a patient requests a copy of their medical records, the healthcare provider is allowed to charge a fee for copying, which can include costs for supplies and labor, as long as the fee complies with the regulations set forth by HIPAA and state laws. While providers can charge for the records, the fee must be reasonable, and they are required to respond to the request in a timely manner, typically within 30 days.

This allows healthcare providers to recoup some costs associated with processing and copying medical records while ensuring patients still have access to their own health information. Options that suggest not responding to the request or delaying indefinitely are not in accordance with HIPAA's guidelines, which emphasize the importance of patient access to their medical records. Similarly, providing records at no charge can be misleading, as while some providers choose to do so, HIPAA does not mandate that healthcare providers must furnish copies without any fee.