Wyoming Medical Record Fees: The 2025-2026 Statutory Guide
Wyoming law grants patients the right to access their medical records but allows healthcare providers to recover the “actual costs” of production. Because Wyoming does not set a hard per-page cap, fees are governed by the standard of reasonableness.
1. Statutory Fee Schedule (2025-2026)
Wyoming does not have a fixed statewide “price list.” Instead, fees are determined by the provider’s actual expenses.
| Service Type | Paper Records Fee | Electronic Records Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Search / Handling | Reasonable Labor | Reasonable Labor |
| Per Page Rate | Actual Cost | Actual Cost |
| Physician Review | Allowed | Allowed |
| Inability to Pay | Waiver Required | Waiver Required |
| Postage | Actual Cost | N/A (if digital) |
Labor and Physician Time
Under Wyoming Board of Medicine Rules, a physician may charge for the actual time spent:
- Clerical staff time for locating and duplicating records.
- The physician’s personal time if they must review the records or prepare a summary/interpretation for the patient.
Hospital Records
Under Wyo. Stat. § 35-2-611, hospitals may charge a “reasonable fee” not to exceed the hospital’s actual cost for providing the information. They are not required to release the records until the fee is paid, unless an exception applies.
2. Mandatory Fee Waivers (Inability to Pay)
Wyoming law contains a critical protection for patients with limited financial means. Under Wyo. Admin. Code 052-3-3 § 4(e), a patient shall not be denied a copy of their requested medical records solely because of an inability to pay the duplication fees.
3. Response Timeframe
- Hospitals: Under Wyoming law, a hospital generally must provide access to medical records no later than 10 days after receiving the request.
- Physicians: Must respond within a “reasonable time,” but no later than 30 days (aligning with federal HIPAA standards).
4. Format Rights
Patients have the right to request a “comprehensive summary” of factual information in lieu of the full record. If the patient requests the full record, the provider must comply, but they may charge for the labor involved in the duplication process.
Audit Tip for Wyoming Paralegals
- The “Reasonableness” Challenge: Because there is no $0.50/page cap, vendors often try to charge high flat fees. If an invoice seems excessive, you have the right to request an itemized breakdown of the “actual costs” (e.g., how many hours of labor at what rate).
- The 10-Day Hospital Rule: Wyoming’s 10-day requirement for hospitals is one of the fastest in the country. If a hospital takes 20 days, they are in technical violation of Wyo. Stat. § 35-2-611.
- Inability to Pay: If your client is indigent, you should submit a “Declaration of Inability to Pay” with the request. Under Wyoming law, the provider must furnish the records even if the fee is not paid upfront.
Audit Your Invoice
If a Wyoming provider is charging a flat “Processing Fee” that does not reflect actual labor, or is withholding records from an indigent patient, our auditor uses the Board of Medicine rules to dispute the bill.
Not sure if your invoice is accurate? Use our Medical Record Fee Calculator to audit your charges against these Wyoming statutes.
Please understand that the materials on this web page are for general information purposes only, and is not intended as legal advice.