How do I get my medical records sent to a new doctor?

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You have a federal right to your medical records, and the process is more boring than the reputation. HIPAA gives you the right to see and get copies of your records - and to have them sent to someone else, like a new doctor, with your signed direction. HHS is explicit that providers generally must respond within 30 days and may only charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Two routes. Route one: tell the new office you are transferring care - they will usually hand you a records-release form, you fill in the old provider's name, and the offices handle the transfer between themselves. Route two: ask the old office for your own copy - most patient portals let you download visit summaries, labs, and imaging reports instantly, and for anything not in the portal you submit a records request in writing. Either way, be specific: "the last two years of office notes, labs, imaging reports, and the medication list" moves faster than "everything."

Watch the fee games: copying fees are allowed but must be cost-based, and portal downloads are free. If an office stalls past 30 days, a polite second request citing your HIPAA access right usually unsticks it - and HHS accepts complaints.

Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text. It can help you figure out exactly what to request for your situation.

How do I get my medical records sent to a new doctor?

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