MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2006 Regular Session

To: Public Health and Human Services

By: Representative Upshaw

House Bill 1235

(COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 11-1-52, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT MEDICAL PROVIDERS CAN CHARGE FOR A MEDICAL RECORDS AFFIDAVIT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

     SECTION 1.  Section 11-1-52, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     11-1-52.  (1)  Any medical provider or hospital or nursing home or other medical facility shall charge no more than the following amounts to patients or their representatives for photocopying any patient's records:  Twenty Dollars ($20.00) for pages one (1) through twenty (20); One Dollar ($1.00) per page for the next eighty (80) pages; Fifty Cents (50¢) per page for all pages thereafter.  Ten percent (10%) of the total charge may be added for postage and handling.  Fifteen Dollars ($15.00) may be recovered by the medical provider or hospital or nursing home or other medical facility for retrieving medical records in archives at a location off the premises where the facility/office is located.

     (2)  A physician shall only charge normal, reasonable and customary charges for a deposition related to a patient that the physician is treating or has treated.

     (3)  Any medical provider, hospital, nursing home or other medical facility shall charge no more than Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) for executing a medical record affidavit, when the affidavit is requested by the patient or the patient's representative.

     (4)  In charging the fees authorized under this section, the medical provider, hospital, nursing home or other medical facility shall comply with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.