Patients and their legal representatives generally have a right to their medical records. All you need to do is make a written request and pay a fee. The following discusses the rules which apply.

The rules are slightly different depending on whether your physician or other health care provider is covered by HIPAA Privacy Rules. If you are unsure whether your physician is covered by HIPAA, you should ask. Only physicians who bill health plans electronically or engage in certain other electronic transactions are covered by HIPAA.

The following document, How to Get Your Medical Records, contains information about your rights of access. Click on any of the titles in the table of contents to go directly to that area of interest.