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Copying Charges
How much can I charge for medical records in South Carolina?
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In South Carolina, a physician may charge a fee of no more than sixty-five cents ($.65) per page for the first thirty pages and fifty cents ($.50) a page thereafter, to cover the costs incurred for supplies and labor involved in copying requested medical information. S.C. Code Ann. § 44-115-80. It is recommended that a healthcare provider not charge his/her patients or their personal representatives for these costs.
The party requesting the patient’s records is responsible for the costs of copying and mailing. Payment of the cost may be requested by the physician prior to the records being furnished. However, do not withhold medical information for nonpayment of copying costs, especially if that information is needed to provide care and treatment to the patient. In addition, the records may not be “held hostage” for nonpayment of a medical bill. (See Section 6.8 of this Handbook for more details on this issue).
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The risk management advice presented in this Site is intended as general information of interest to physicians and other healthcare professionals. The recommendations and advice published on this Site do not reflect or establish a standard of care and do not establish rules for the practice of medicine. The publication of this information is not intended as an offer to insure such conditions or exposures, or to indicate that MAG Mutual Insurance Company will underwrite such risks for the reader. Our liability is limited to the specific written terms and conditions of actual insurance policies issued.
