My understanding of US law in this area is this: By law, you have the RIGHT to have copies of your medical records. Some places may charge you a nominal copying fee, but they *must* give those records to you on request. You don't even have to state a reason for wanting them, although I have used the 'creating a personal medical file' reason a time or two myself. (I've change doctors several times as I have moved from place to place in my state. Having my records, all of them, makes sense for someone like me.)

No doctor's office is permitted, under US law, to deny you a copy of your records. They are about you, and they are yours for the asking. In most situations, it is not difficult to get them at all. Every once in a while, you strike a doctor who thinks you shouldn't have your records, and hopes you don't know anything about the law....so they try to get away with it. (Sometimes, they write stuff in there that will raise your blood pressure no end, and they don't want you to see some less than nice comment they may have added to your file.)

But the bottom line is really simple. Your records, you can have them. This right is written into US law. I just don't have the relevant sections of this law at my finger tips. Try google.com to find a copy of this law, print it, and if needed, wave it at whoever to show that you DO know the law and they have no right to deny you a copy of your records.

D2003