Tucson Social Security Disability Blog

Free Medical Records For People Applying For Disability

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I note that Oregon is contemplating passing a law that would allow those persons applying for Social Security disability to get copies of their medical records for free. This is an excellent idea. Several other states already have such a law.  The benefit of laws like these is that it ensures that people applying for disability can document their claims. If applicants have to pay for their own medical records, many of them would not be able to afford it. Unless you have ordered medical records, you may be surprised by how much they can cost. Often times, the bill can amount to several dollars per page.  Many doctors work with such outside agencies as BACTES to provide medical records.  BACTES, for example, sends somebody to the doctor’s office to get the records. Then BACTES sells the records back to the patient (or whomever is requesting them.) Though I have no proof of this, I have long suspected that such companies as BACTES are sharing the wealth with doctors. Something has to explain why a couple of pages of medical records costs $25.00. I’m guessing it’s not the minimum wage the person actually copying the records gets paid. If Oregon does the right thing, the number of states where applicants have to pay for their records will shrink. The result is likely to be that the people in those states lacking this protection will pay even more.  What we really need is a Federal law to mandate that Social Security applicants can get their medical records free. But, of course, counting on Congress to do anything is a fool’s errand. You can be sure that the BACTES’s of the world have kept their lobbyists busy, as well.

Oregon May Provide Free Records.

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About The Author

Since 1992, I have been helping the people of Southern Arizona get the benefits they are due. Before devoting all my efforts to assisting people with Social Security disability claims, I also handled such complex lawsuits as medical malpractice and products liability. I brought to my Social Security cases all the skills and attention to detail that I developed in the courtroom. I approach each Social Security disability case as if it were a million-dollar lawsuit. For the people trying to get Social Security benefits, their claim is every bit as important. Because I have personally handled so many Social Security cases, I have refined the skills I need to win your case for you. I have helped people win cases for every kind of ailment from arthritis to valley fever. At present, I am focused on helping those persons with neurological and orthopedic disorders. Because claims for people over age fifty bring additional complications, I particularly seek out those cases to work on. I regularly write about back and spine conditions on my blog. I actively seek out the latest information about orthopedic and neurological disorders to ensure I can represent my clients as effectively as possible. Because of my current focus, I regret that I am not able to take any cases for mental disorders. If you are over age fifty and suffer from any orthopedic or neurological disorder, please contact me at once.