Does Anyone Have To Pay To Get A Copy Of Your Test Results?

[MoMof2Boyz]

My follow up appointment isn't til March...My endoscopy was done primarily to check for Barrett's and dilate my esophagus..I forgot to tell the doc I wanted more than just one sample to biopsy for celiac and totally forgot to ask how many he took after I awoke. My esophageal biopsy is benign, so that means no cancer! Thank God!! but was told my blood test results for celiac and h. pylori are negative and the biopsy negative too.

I was rereading the info I was given and if I want copies of my test results I have to pay $35!! can they do that??? I never have to pay to get copies whenever I have tests done in my family doc's office.

advice???

[kareng]

I'm assumingyou are in the US. Yes they can charge for copies of your records. It was upheld by a Supreme Court about 25 years ago.

Are there ways to get around this? Yes!

They must send them to another doctor for no charge. You could get copies or a look from your family doc. Some offices will even hand you the copies to take to an appointment. I have a feeling this place will check to see if there really is an appointment and want to send them by fax or email.

You could make a request for a "doctor" who lives out-of-town and happens to have the same name and address as your brother-in-law or someone else with out the same last name as you. But that would just be wrong, wouldn't it? this could be by mail so you don't even have to see the office help.

[MoMof2Boyz]

Thanks Karen! I was asked if I wanted copies sent to my family doc(I said yes) so I will call and see if they have the copies and if not, I"ll ask the nurse to request them! I never would have thought of that!

I just called, they don't have copies of the blood test results but the nurse is going to call and get them and send everything to me.

thanks again for the idea!

[kareng]

Thanks Karen! I was asked if I wanted copies sent to my family doc(I said yes) so I will call and see if they have the copies and if not, I"ll ask the nurse to request them! I never would have thought of that!

List as many things as you can think of that were done or tested and make sure the office recieves them. For the longest time (a year) my bone scan kept getting overlooked when asking for info to be sent.

The office may not want to make copies of records from another doctor. that's an iffy legal thing. They should be able to read them to you or let you come in and look at them and take notes (that is totally legal). This is just an FYI for you so you are not surprised if that happens. Don't suggest it to them. Say as little as possible. Just ask for copies and go from there.