Federal agency ยท U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act right of access to your health information
The federal guidance on your right to see and get copies of your records held by your health plan and most providers, and to have them sent to someone you name.
Know before you go
The page says health plans and most providers must give you access to your health information on request, and can send a copy to a person you name. It is a right to your own records. It does not itself require a plan to give you its internal review criteria, which the appeal rules cover. The page warns that parts of the guidance were vacated by a 2020 court order, so read its notice first. The federal rule gives a plan or provider 30 days to respond, with one extension of up to 30 more days if it explains the delay in writing.
- Cost
- Not stated in the part read. The page links guidance on fees for copies.
- Where
- Nationwide
- How to start
- Write to the provider's records office or the plan, say you are making a request under the right of access, name the records you want, and keep proof of the date you sent it.
- Have ready
- Your full name and date of birth; Your member number; The dates of care or claims you want; A signed form naming someone, if the copy should go to them
Where this comes from
- Provider
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Source we read
- https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/access/index.html
- Date we read it
- . This is not a fresh check.
- Date the provider printed
- Not displayed
- What we checked
- We read the provider's public page. We have not verified availability, eligibility or outcomes for any individual.
Other starting points
- Program or service
AppealArmor
A free web tool that reads a photo or text of your denial letter, shows you what it read, and emails an appeal letter and a Next Steps sheet with where to send it and your deadline. It also has a deadline calculator.
From AppealArmor
- Program or service
California Independent Medical Review decision search
A searchable database of every California Independent Medical Review decision since 1 January 2001. Search by drug, treatment, therapy or condition to read how reviewers decided cases like yours.
From California Department of Managed Health Care
- Program or service
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation appeal letter library
Customizable appeal letters for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis treatments, tests and dose changes, including a request to use a biologic without first failing other drugs. Written for the doctor's office to edit.
From Crohn's & Colitis Foundation