The Cost of Obtaining Medical Records in Florida
The Orlando Sentinel reports that Florida Medical Association is asking is asking the Florida legislature to increase what doctors may charge for to obtain copies of medical records. Currently, Florida doctors can charge $1 per page for the first 25 pages and 25 thereafter.
Believe me, I realize the retrieval costs are such that doctors are not making money producing medical records at this price. But should they be? Patients are entitled to their medical records. Personal injury lawyers in Florida have characterized the Florida doctors’ request as a backdoor strategy to avoid medical malpractice claims. I’m not sure that an increase in the cost of medical records is going to do that. But I also don’t see why the current prices don’t adequately give reimburse doctors for their costs of producing medical records.
