# How do you bill for "Medical Records" ??



## Orthocoderpgu (Mar 23, 2009)

Our clinic is charges for medical records. Other than 99070 is there a CPT or HCPCS code for that. And what DX do you use? Thanks.


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## dmaec (Mar 23, 2009)

isn't 99070 used for reporting supplis and materials provided by the physician over and above those usually included with the office visit or other services rendered?  (List drugs, trays, supplies and other meterials provided when using this code).

how/why would you use this code for "medical records"?
Who are you billing for the medical records? (you can't bill medical insurances for patients getting copies of their records - patients pay/self pay - for them). so why would you need a "Dx" or "procedure code"??

Typically, charges for copies of medical records are handled by HIM/Records departments.  Charges are, just for example -say "free, first 10 pages, then 10 cents per page thereafter"... or something to that affect.  Where I get my medical care, I can have "free" copies of my records if it's within 3 months of service,...if it's older than 3 months, there are charges according to their guidelines.  And I do believe I have to give them time to get it all in order.
Personal use (copies) typically cost less than say - an Attorney getting them. Of course the attorney in turn charges "whoever" for the charge they get from the Health Info Office!  Copies between doctors (requested by doctors typically don't cost anything - simple transfer of information needed).

I could be mistaken, but charges for records don't require a DX or CPT because they aren't billed to medical insurance companies. Usually, (in the case of records for attorney's), charges are written on slip per their determined facility charges, marked records from "date to date" for "name of patient", and paid.

ok,.so..anyway...I am curious, "who" are you trying to bill for these copies of medical records?


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## Beany011178 (Mar 23, 2009)

I bill for medical records here in our office and I bill with dx code V68.9.


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## dmaec (Mar 23, 2009)

Beany, who do you bill?


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## Beany011178 (Mar 23, 2009)

I am only merly entering the charge for the HIM person sending the records out.  Usually it is an isnsurance company requesting the records for an applicant applying for health insurance.  I have even had this experiance myself when I applied for insurance the company wanted the records and I had to pay them and they paid the physicians office for the records.  Also people that maybe request the records for their own reasons.  They are allowed once a year at no cost and then they are billed for anymore than one time per year.  It is all perfectly legal.


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## dmaec (Mar 23, 2009)

hmmm...well, I learned something new.  Medical Insurance companies will pay for copies of records..(but half the time they won't cover medical services due to "whatever the reason they find not to)!  

I've never billed or coded for copies of medical records.  I have requested (several times) copies of my own, and parents/kids..etc.. sometimes having to pay, sometimes not.  But they were never billed out to our insurance company.(still trying to figure out why they would be?)

I can see if an insurance company requests a copy of a particular service (it was typically a request to see records to help support services before they would pay the claim), and even then, it was for a specific date of service, not the whole medical record of the patient, and not charged...

Perhaps I'm missing something here.  I was thinking these were requests of patients for copies of their records.  
and I guess I've never known a medical insurance company willing to pay for someone getting copies of their records.

I've learned something new...


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## audmkn1 (Mar 23, 2009)

*medical records*

Hi - the only records we've ever billed are for third party requests- insurance, work comp etc.. and use 99080 cpt code for medical records request- diagnosis code V70.0(which doesnt make sense) we force in the fee and payment thru the account records.  We supply free records and warn patients if they have mutiple personal requests we would charged - but never had that I remember.


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## Orthocoderpgu (Mar 24, 2009)

*Donna*

Donna, we are billing the medical records to the insurance company.  But as you said, the ins companies just make up their own reasons to deny paying. The medical records that I am working on now were requested by a legal office. Why they are trying to bill the insurance company I don't know. If the insurance company requested them, then I would expect them to pay. But in this situation, I doubt it. Anyway, thanks for you help. Seems like there is something to be learned every day doing this job !


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## ASH527 (Mar 24, 2009)

*Medical records*

There is a HCPCS code S____ for medical records - unfortunately I don't have a book handy to give you the full code - but once I can I will reply- Hope this helps


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## ASH527 (Mar 25, 2009)

*Medical records*

The code for medical records is S9981 and S9982  and the diagnosis code 
is V68.89


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