Ask Your Physician Advocate

Discover Your SDCMS FAQ Database

Whenever I, your SDCMS physician advocate, or Lauren Wendler, your SDCMS office manager advocate, answer a question posed by a member physician or his or her office manager, we log both the question and the answer into an FAQ database that is now available as a members-only benefit at SDCMS.org.

Charging for Medical Record Copies • Reporting Tuberculosis • Buying the "CPLH"

QUESTION: I have a patient whom I saw for one visit. We made plans for further care, but they decided not to go through with the procedure. Now an attorney is requesting a copy of the patient’s medical records. Can I charge this attorney, or do I have to provide these records for free?

ANSWER: According to CMA ON-CALL document #1127 (“Attorney Pre-litigation Request for Medical Information”), “All reasonable costs incurred by the physician may be charged to the person whose written authorization required the availability of the records.” This includes:

Ask Your Physician Advocate

QUESTION: I received a contract from a medical group that contains a provision about “reciprocity” that concerns me. I believe this medical group may function as a silent PPO. Can someone take a look at the clause and double-check my suspicion?