Yesterday was a normal Wednesday.......Nothing too exciting. Still waiting for someone to call me back about my CT...I'm ready to get er' done! I did manage to get out the house for a couple of hours. My best friend is off on Wednesdays, and it's been tradition for about 5 years now for us to go out to lunch. And I get my walking in! My IBS did act up a little...and after dinner it started acting up a lot so I took a Levsin.....and all was better. Went to bed early.....tired as hell. And then sometime this morning...it was still dark out, I woke up really really nauseous.....And then spent 30 minutes in the bathroom vomiting. I never throw up....well hardly ever, ODD! Even when the kids gets the flu, it always skips me......I have never understood why, but OK. You know I've never even had the Chicken Pox either, all of my kids have and I was around them every day....and still never got it. Just one of those things I guess.
I did sit down last night and tried to find something from HIPPA explaining how to get YOUR medical records. A few years ago, I went into a neurologists office to get copies of my medical records. At first the girl told me it was against the law.......and I knew this wasn't true....and told her It was against the law for her Not to give me them. I left, went home, did my research and returned with a typed written request:
Dear Dr. X, March 18, 2008
After speaking to a lawyer about getting my medical records, it was advised that I
ask in writing for the records. I, Katrina X, am requesting copies of my medical
records from 2005. I also need copies of the EMG report from August 18, 2005. I will be
in on Tuesday March, 25 2008 to pick up these records. If I can not get these records, I
have been advised to contact the Medical Board.
Thank-you,
Katrina X
DOB: 04-12-19XX
Anyways.....that neurologists office really fought me on it.....and I ended up getting my records before it was all over. Now, there was a $15 'research' fee...whatever that was.........Mind you, when I first went in to get my records......the lady turned around to the shelf behind her, pulled my records off, and had them in her hand....And yet I'm suppose to pay them $15 dollars to find it. WOW! I coulda gotten it myself.
So...My point? Federal Law states that we are aloud access to our records unless those records contain information about your mental health that could hurt you. Or something like that. Here's the link to this information:
http://patients.about.com/od/yourmedicalrecords/a/getmedrecords.htm
......and if you scroll down they do have a place where you can find individual state costs for getting records. There's also a suggestion for how to obtain your records if your broke...
I know it's hard, and There Will be nurses and staff out there that will give you hell about getting them. But they are yours to see. I do believe you can even go in and request to sit down and look at them. I'm not sure how these Laws will change, seeing as everything is going into computer now. But they are your records! You also have to remember that they are only required to keep your records for so many years.
It also helped me that I kept every calendar that I ever used, and wrote down most of all the doctor appts I went to....It does help to have these dates.
Also......just ask your doctor for copies of things as they're done. I have been through my share of doctors trying to find the best of them, the most helpful ones I could. And most of them know I'm going to ask for copies of things, so they'll have them waiting. Or ask me if I want copies! Don't be afraid of them....they put their shoes on the same way we do, lol, I used to be so intimated by these people, but Not anymore. I have realized they are only human too.
OK...that's about it for now....I'm gotta take the bf to have a root canal done this morning.....Fun huh!
......Be back later......
oh.....My new neurologist has recently switched offices. And I got a letter in the mail stating that I had to come down and sign a release form to get my records sent to the new place. So I went in, signed the paperwork......Then got a bill for $18!! I have since talked to my neurologist and told her I thought it was BS......and she agreed. She said is was in her contract that her records went with her.....and told me not to pay it. She has since gotten my records, and told me I could get my copy the next time I come in. As far as not paying that bill, I don't know if that's a great idea, I always end up on the shitty end of this stick, and could just see myself now getting dragged into court over $18. For $18, I want my own copy, Please!
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