Your Own Medical Records
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 191.227 — a copy on written request, for a fee the section caps
In Missouri, physicians, chiropractors, hospitals, dentists and other licensed practitioners, on written request of a patient or their guardian or legally authorized representative, furnish a copy of the record of the patient's health history and treatment within a reasonable time and on payment of the fee the section allows. Access may be limited to what is consistent with the patient's condition and sound therapeutic treatment, as the provider determines.
| Charge | The base amount in the section |
|---|---|
| ChargeSearch and retrieval | The base amount in the sectionNot more than twenty-four dollars and eighty-five cents |
| ChargeCopying | The base amount in the sectionfifty-seven cents per page |
| ChargeOff site storage retrieval, if contracted | The base amount in the sectionNot to exceed twenty-three dollars and twenty-six cents |
| ChargeElectronic records, when the provider keeps them all electronically | The base amount in the sectionThe fees, or one hundred eight dollars and eighty-eight cents total, whichever is less |
| ChargeA notary, if requested | The base amount in the sectionNot to exceed two dollars |
- The amounts are adjusted each February for medical care inflation, and the department of health and senior services posts the current figures.
- A statement that no responsive record exists counts as the record.
- Postage and material that cannot be copied on an ordinary photocopier may be charged at reasonable cost.
The rules for a deceased patient's records and for emergency care records are in the section and are not reproduced in full here. Whether a charge or a refusal was proper is a question for a court and for a licensed Missouri attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 191.227 — Medical records to be released to patient
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Missouri attorney.