Maine Medical Record Fees: The 2025-2026 Statutory Guide
In Maine, medical record fees are strictly regulated to prevent excessive costs for patients and their representatives. Under 22 MRS § 1711-A, the state provides clear maximums for paper copies and a protective “hard cap” for electronic records.
1. Statutory Fee Schedule (2025-2026)
Maine law distinguishes clearly between paper fulfillment and digital delivery, with specific protections against “hidden” fees in electronic requests.
| Service Type | Paper Format Fee | Electronic Format Fee |
|---|---|---|
| First Page | $5.00 | Included in costs |
| Additional Pages | $0.45 per page | $0.00 (Per-page prohibited) |
| Retrieval/Search Fee | Reasonable cost | $0.00 (Prohibited) |
| Staff Time | Included in per-page | Actual reasonable labor |
| Total Record Cap | $250.00 Maximum | $150.00 Maximum |
The “$150.00 Digital Record Cap”
Under 22 MRS § 1711-A, if a medical record exists in a digital or electronic format, the health care practitioner must provide an electronic copy if requested.
- Prohibited Fees: Practitioners are strictly prohibited from charging a “retrieval fee” or costs related to “new technology, maintenance, or data infrastructure.”
- Allowable Fees: They may only charge for the actual reasonable staff time to create the copy, plus necessary supplies (like a USB) and postage.
- The Ceiling: Regardless of the size of the record (even if it is 5,000 pages), the total charge for a digital production cannot exceed $150.00.
2. Paper Record Restrictions
For paper copies, the maximum charge is $5.00 for the first page and $0.45 for each additional page. The total bill for a single paper record or report cannot exceed $250.00.
3. The Patient Rate (HIPAA Protection)
Federal HIPAA law provides the floor for patient access. In Maine, this often results in fees even lower than the $150.00 state cap.
- Access Rights: Patients have a right to inspect their records for free or receive a copy at a “reasonable, cost-based fee.”
- Format: If a patient requests a digital copy via a secure portal, the labor cost is negligible, and many Maine providers waive the fee entirely for portal downloads.
4. Mandatory Free Records
While Maine does not have a broad “one free copy” law like Kentucky, many providers waive fees for Social Security Disability (SSDI/SSI) determinations. Additionally, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) may have specific fee-waiver requirements for individuals receiving public assistance.
Audit Tip for Maine Paralegals
The $150.00 digital cap is the most important tool for auditing Maine invoices.
- The Violation: Third-party vendors (like Ciox or Datavant) frequently try to apply paper-style per-page rates to digital requests, often leading to bills of $400 or $500.
- The Audit: If the records were delivered electronically and the bill is over $150.00, it is an automatic statutory violation. Under Maine law, the “actual costs” of digital production are capped at that $150.00 limit, and “retrieval fees” are explicitly forbidden for digital files.
Audit Your Invoice
If you believe a Maine hospital or clinic is overcharging for digital records or exceeding the $250.00 paper cap, our auditor is updated with these statutory limits.
Not sure if your invoice is accurate? Use our Medical Record Fee Calculator to audit your charges against these Maine statutes.
Please understand that the materials on this web page are for general information purposes only, and is not intended as legal advice.