An Act Regarding the Cost of Copies of Medical Records
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1500
Committee: Health and Human Services
Amends: 22 MRSA §1711, 22 MRSA §1711-A

Legislative Document 
No. 1500 
S.P. 561 
In Senate, May 7, 2013 
An Act Regarding the Cost of Copies of Medical Records 
Reported by Senator CRAVEN of Androscoggin for the Joint Standing Committee on 
Health and Human Services pursuant to Joint Order, S.P. 525. 
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed 
pursuant to Joint Rule 218. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §1711, 5th ¶, as amended by PL 2013, c. 32, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
Reasonable costs incurred by the hospital in making and providing paper copies of 
medical records and additions to medical records must be borne by may be assessed as 
charges to the requesting person and the hospital may require payment prior to 
responding to the request.  The charge for paper copies of records may not exceed $5 for 
the first page and 35¢ 45¢ for each additional page, up to a maximum of $250 for the 
entire medical record. 
Sec. 2.  22 MRSA §1711, as amended by PL 2013, c. 32, §1, is further amended by 
adding after the 5th paragraph a new paragraph to read: 
If a medical record exists in a digital or electronic format, the hospital shall provide 
an electronic copy of the medical record if an electronic copy is requested and it is 
reasonably possible to provide it.  The hospital may assess as charges reasonable actual 
costs of staff time to create or copy the medical record and the costs of necessary supplies 
and postage.  Actual costs may not include a retrieval fee or the costs of new technology, 
maintenance of the electronic record system, data access or storage infrastructure.  
Charges assessed under this paragraph may not exceed $150. 
Sec. 3.  22 MRSA §1711-A, as amended by PL 2013, c. 32, §2, is further amended 
to read: 
§1711-A.  Fees charged for records 
Whenever a health care practitioner defined in section 1711-B furnishes in paper 
form requested copies of a patient's treatment record or a medical report or an addition to 
a treatment record or medical report to the patient or the patient's authorized 
representative, the charge for the copies or the report may not exceed the reasonable costs 
incurred by the health care practitioner in making and providing the copies or the report.  
The charge for the copies of records or the report may not exceed $5 for the first page and 
35¢ 45¢ for each additional page, up to a maximum of $250 for the entire treatment 
record or medical report. 
If a treatment record or medical report exists in a digital or electronic format, the 
health care practitioner shall provide an electronic copy of the treatment record or 
medical report if an electronic copy is requested and it is reasonably possible to provide 
it.  The health care practitioner may assess as charges reasonable actual costs of staff time 
to create or copy the treatment record or medical report and the costs of necessary 
supplies and postage.  Actual costs may not include a retrieval fee or the costs of new 
technology, maintenance of the electronic record system, data access or storage 
infrastructure.  Charges assessed under this paragraph may not exceed $150. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends the current law regarding copies of medical records to specify that it 
applies to paper copies, to change the maximum per page charge to 45¢ and to impose a 
cap of $250 on the total charge.  The bill requires electronic copies of medical records to 
be made available if electronic copies are reasonably possible, allows charges for 
reasonable costs of staff time and necessary costs for supplies and postage and imposes a 
cap of $150 on the total charge.  The bill prohibits a health care practitioner or hospital, 
when charging for an electronic copy of a medical record, from charging a retrieval fee or 
for the costs of new technology, maintenance of the electronic record system, data access 
or storage infrastructure.