Medical record fees are not one charge but several, and they vary widely from state to state. Most states allow a copy fee for the time and labor of pulling and reproducing records. Some add a separate reproduction cost for the materials themselves, paper, ink, and wear on equipment, and some set their rates on a tiered scale that rises or falls with the number of pages. A handful also spell out what can be charged for postage, shipping, and handling.
What a record actually costs to produce can differ from the published rate. Volume, format, and the specific provider all move the number. And when a third party handles the copying, which fee schedule governs and what is properly chargeable are often open to argument. The figures below are a state-by-state reference, not a quote.
