Missing Weight Records

[jblady 0]

What a week! I would like some feedback about my situation. Here it goes...When I first started this process the Bariatric Office said that they would be able to pull my records. Well, I find out yesterday they can't because doctor office is no longer a part of their affiliation. Needless to say I call my OB office to get weight records because I go there yearly. By the way, I requested these records in September and they only sent me results to HIV Test. I called them back then and they were suppose to mail my complete exams to Clinic. Needless to say they didn't. Well, I talk to the medical records lady today and tell her that I am coming to pick up the records because I need them ASAP. No Problem. Well, when I went to pick them up at 3 p.m. (I needed to pick up before 5 because she will be gone) and walked out of the office with the sealed envelope my natural instincts told me to open the envelope. Sure enough, this woman has put 1 record in for 2010 and has left for the day. Needless to say they knew I drove out of my way to get these records so the assistant on duty went to get my file and proceeded to copy everything from 2008. But wait, THERE IS NO RECORD FOR 2009! What the hockey sticks am I to do?

So, I called my Family doctor's office to see about getting 2009 records. The lady told me it would take between 2-3 weeks. Mind you I only saw this doctor once in 2009 and was a new patient. Is it that hard to pull 1 record that should still be in my chart seeing as how I don't go but 1 time a year? Ughh, the lady in my OB office senses my frustration and copies records back from 2006. THE BIG QUESTION IS DO YOU THINK I SHOULD HAVE HER SUBMIT FOR INSURANCE AUTHORIZATION TOMORROW WITH HEALTH RECORDS FROM 2006-2008 AND 2010 AND 1 FROM THIS YEAR? I would still get 2009 records just in case we need them. For your information I have AETNA.

[mattie7632 24]

Tell them you want to talk to the HIPAA compliance officer and you want to know where exactly your private health information is. Now, I'm not saying there's any kind of HIPAA violation here, all I'm saying is when you start crying "HIPAA violation" doctors offices start to listen a little better. Also, HIPAA law states they have to provide your records, or a response to why not, within 30 days of receipt of your request. It also states the 30 day rule is thrown out the window if it could compromise your care by NOT delivering such records to the requesting care provider. SO, start saying "HIPAA violation" and "compromising my care" and you'll get more action real quick.

What a week! I would like some feedback about my situation. Here it goes...When I first started this process the Bariatric Office said that they would be able to pull my records. Well, I find out yesterday they can't because doctor office is no longer a part of their affiliation. Needless to say I call my OB office to get weight records because I go there yearly. By the way, I requested these records in September and they only sent me results to HIV Test. I called them back then and they were suppose to mail my complete exams to Clinic. Needless to say they didn't. Well, I talk to the medical records lady today and tell her that I am coming to pick up the records because I need them ASAP. No Problem. Well, when I went to pick them up at 3 p.m. (I needed to pick up before 5 because she will be gone) and walked out of the office with the sealed envelope my natural instincts told me to open the envelope. Sure enough, this woman has put 1 record in for 2010 and has left for the day. Needless to say they knew I drove out of my way to get these records so the assistant on duty went to get my file and proceeded to copy everything from 2008. But wait, THERE IS NO RECORD FOR 2009! What the hockey sticks am I to do?

So, I called my Family doctor's office to see about getting 2009 records. The lady told me it would take between 2-3 weeks. Mind you I only saw this doctor once in 2009 and was a new patient. Is it that hard to pull 1 record that should still be in my chart seeing as how I don't go but 1 time a year? Ughh, the lady in my OB office senses my frustration and copies records back from 2006. THE BIG QUESTION IS DO YOU THINK I SHOULD HAVE HER SUBMIT FOR INSURANCE AUTHORIZATION TOMORROW WITH HEALTH RECORDS FROM 2006-2008 AND 2010 AND 1 FROM THIS YEAR? I would still get 2009 records just in case we need them. For your information I have AETNA.

[jblady 0]

Tell them you want to talk to the HIPAA compliance officer and you want to know where exactly your private health information is. Now, I'm not saying there's any kind of HIPAA violation here, all I'm saying is when you start crying "HIPAA violation" doctors offices start to listen a little better. Also, HIPAA law states they have to provide your records, or a response to why not, within 30 days of receipt of your request. It also states the 30 day rule is thrown out the window if it could compromise your care by NOT delivering such records to the requesting care provider. SO, start saying "HIPAA violation" and "compromising my care" and you'll get more action real quick.

OMG it worked! I was able to get my 2009 records today and have them faxed to clinic. I didn't do or say exactly what you said, but just the mention of HIPAA had 3 people trying to locate my records. Come to find out the old clinic I use to go to was bought by Aurora and they still had possession of my chart because they gained everything when they bought them out. So i'm at my doctor's new office and they call Aurora to tell them to prepare my chart immediately because I was on my way. My doctor's office also tried to say Aurora is backed up all the way from September with getting records. Fast forward 30 minutes-I am at Aurora's office (my doctor's old place) and the girl tells me that people are not getting their records because my doctor's office is failing to pay the fee that is required to get the records and they declined the negotiated price.

All this stress for nothing. If they would of told me to pick the records up in September I would have had them because my doctor's old office is 5 minutes from my house! Oh well, I hopefully will have everything submitted to insurance on Monday and get a speedy reply.

[mattie7632 24]

OMGosh that is awesome! I'm telling you, so many doctors offices are so disorganized. Anyway, it's not your fault they didn't pay the fee! Geez, I'm so glad you got them! Isn't it sad that in today's day in age you can't just get what you need without some kind of threat or complaint?

OMG it worked! I was able to get my 2009 records today and have them faxed to clinic. I didn't do or say exactly what you said, but just the mention of HIPAA had 3 people trying to locate my records. Come to find out the old clinic I use to go to was bought by Aurora and they still had possession of my chart because they gained everything when they bought them out. So i'm at my doctor's new office and they call Aurora to tell them to prepare my chart immediately because I was on my way. My doctor's office also tried to say Aurora is backed up all the way from September with getting records. Fast forward 30 minutes-I am at Aurora's office (my doctor's old place) and the girl tells me that people are not getting their records because my doctor's office is failing to pay the fee that is required to get the records and they declined the negotiated price.

All this stress for nothing. If they would of told me to pick the records up in September I would have had them because my doctor's old office is 5 minutes from my house! Oh well, I hopefully will have everything submitted to insurance on Monday and get a speedy reply.

[bigtom1948 8]

OMG it worked! I was able to get my 2009 records today and have them faxed to clinic. I didn't do or say exactly what you said, but just the mention of HIPAA had 3 people trying to locate my records. Come to find out the old clinic I use to go to was bought by Aurora and they still had possession of my chart because they gained everything when they bought them out. So i'm at my doctor's new office and they call Aurora to tell them to prepare my chart immediately because I was on my way. My doctor's office also tried to say Aurora is backed up all the way from September with getting records. Fast forward 30 minutes-I am at Aurora's office (my doctor's old place) and the girl tells me that people are not getting their records because my doctor's office is failing to pay the fee that is required to get the records and they declined the negotiated price.

All this stress for nothing. If they would of told me to pick the records up in September I would have had them because my doctor's old office is 5 minutes from my house! Oh well, I hopefully will have everything submitted to insurance on Monday and get a speedy reply.

I had to literally beg for my records and was told that all records beyond 3 years old are archived at a fee for service archive site. In order to get my records I had to pay this service $1.00 a page for the 1st 10 pages and $0.25 per page for all the rest and they refused to pull just the weight history pages. I had to buy back two years worth of useless crap for 2 peices of paper. The final cost was almost $75.00. Just another little leech hanging on and sucking the blood out of your healthcare dollar.

Gets around the hipaa requirements as the records are secure, they are available and after all the company is only charging a print out copy fee so, according to them, you are not really buying back your own documentation. It could still tick me off if I think about it and its now over 5 months ago.

[mattie7632 24]

It's a bunch of crap isn't it? Unfortunately it is lawful and each state sets the maximum fee that can be charged for copying records. You must have had a lot of records for $75!

I had to literally beg for my records and was told that all records beyond 3 years old are archived at a fee for service archive site. In order to get my records I had to pay this service $1.00 a page for the 1st 10 pages and $0.25 per page for all the rest and they refused to pull just the weight history pages. I had to buy back two years worth of useless crap for 2 peices of paper. The final cost was almost $75.00. Just another little leech hanging on and sucking the blood out of your healthcare dollar.

Gets around the hipaa requirements as the records are secure, they are available and after all the company is only charging a print out copy fee so, according to them, you are not really buying back your own documentation. It could still tick me off if I think about it and its now over 5 months ago.