Pennsylvania Medical Record Retrieval, Statutory Copying Fee Caps & Subpoena Rules (42 Pa.C.S. § 6152 & § 6152.1 (Annual PA Dept. of Health Secretary Notice))
Complete guide to Pennsylvania medical record retrieval, comparing the Federal HIPAA Patient Rate (45 CFR § 164.524) against Pennsylvania's third-party copying fee caps under 42 Pa.C.S. § 6152 & § 6152.1 (Annual PA Dept. of Health Secretary Notice) (post-Ciox Health v. Azar), mandatory 30 calendar days response deadlines, and 42 Pa.C.S. § 6151–6159 (Certified Copies of Hospital Records Admissible as Original) & Pa.R.C.P. 4009.21 (20-Day Pre-Subpoena Notice!) trial authentication.
Pennsylvania (PA) Medical Record Laws at a Glance
- Governing Fee Statute
- 42 Pa.C.S. § 6152 & § 6152.1 (Annual PA Dept. of Health Secretary Notice)
- Mandatory Response Deadline
- 30 calendar days
- State Statutory Third-Party Copying Fee Schedule (Post-Ciox v. Azar)
- Annual CPI-adjusted tiered schedule published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin every December (Search fee + tiered rates for pgs 1–20, 21–60, 61+, plus flat cap for District Attorney/SSDI requests).
- Custodian Affidavit & Evidence Rule
- 42 Pa.C.S. § 6151–6159 (Certified Copies of Hospital Records Admissible as Original) & Pa.R.C.P. 4009.21 (20-Day Pre-Subpoena Notice!)
- Minimum Record Retention Rule
- 7 years adult; minor 7 years past age 18 (age 25, 28 Pa. Code § 115.23)
Pennsylvania Medical Record Fee Comparison: Patient Direct vs. Third-Party Law Firm
Under Ciox Health, LLC v. Azar, 435 F. Supp. 3d 30 (D.D.C. 2020), the federal HIPAA “Patient Rate” applies strictly to direct-to-patient requests, while third-party attorney and insurance requests in Pennsylvania are governed by 42 Pa.C.S. § 6152 & § 6152.1 (Annual PA Dept. of Health Secretary Notice):
| Requirement | Patient Direct (45 CFR § 164.524) | Pennsylvania Third-Party Attorney (42 Pa.C.S. § 6152 & § 6152.1 (Annual PA Dept. of Health Secretary Notice)) | Pennsylvania Civil Subpoena & Affidavit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Copying & Search Fee | Reasonable cost-based labor only when delivered directly to patient ($0 search fee) | Annual CPI-adjusted tiered schedule published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin every December (Search fee + tiered rates for pgs 1–20, 21–60, 61+, plus flat cap for District Attorney/SSDI requests). | Statutory subpoena clerical & per-page limits under 42 Pa.C.S. § 6152 & § 6152.1 (Annual PA Dept. of Health Secretary Notice) |
| Mandatory Turnaround Window | 30 calendar days (or 30 days federal ceiling, whichever is shorter) | 30 calendar days | Subpoena return date + mandatory consumer notice window |
| Self-Authentication in Court | Uncertified unless Custodian Affidavit is requested | Certified Custodian Declaration under 42 Pa.C.S. § 6151–6159 (Certified Copies of Hospital Records Admissible as Original) & Pa.R.C.P. 4009.21 (20-Day Pre-Subpoena Notice!) | Mandatory Custodian Affidavit or Certificate of No Records (42 Pa.C.S. § 6151–6159 (Certified Copies of Hospital Records Admissible as Original) & Pa.R.C.P. 4009.21 (20-Day Pre-Subpoena Notice!)) |
Pennsylvania County Subpoena Venues, Coroner Autopsy & EMS Run Sheet Hubs
Autopsy and forensic toxicology reports, 911 paramedic Prehospital Care Reports (PCRs), and trial court civil subpoenas in Pennsylvania are governed at the county/district level. Select a county below to view its trial court subpoena venue, Medical Examiner office, and 911 EMS agency:
Philadelphia County
Court: Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County (First Judicial District — Note Pa.R.C.P. 4009.21 20-Day Notice)
Coroner/ME: Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office
Allegheny County
Court: Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County (Fifth Judicial District — Pittsburgh)
Coroner/ME: Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner (Pittsburgh)
Major Pennsylvania Medical Center Cities (HIM, Billing & PACS Routing)
Select a major medical center city in Pennsylvania to view its Level I/II trauma centers, acute-care hospitals, VA Medical Centers, and 3-department ROI vendor routing:
Philadelphia, PA Medical Record Retrieval
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (Penn Medicine — Level I Trauma) & Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) • Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (Level I Trauma) & Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia (Level I Trauma) • Temple University Hospital (Level I Trauma & Burn Center)
Pittsburgh, PA Medical Record Retrieval
UPMC Presbyterian (Level I Trauma) & UPMC Mercy (Level I Trauma & Burn Center) • Allegheny General Hospital (AHN — Level I Trauma) • UPMC Shadyside & UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital
Major Pennsylvania Hospital Systems & Retrieval Hubs
We retrieve complete inpatient and outpatient clinical charts, UB-04 / CMS-1500 itemized billing ledgers, and DICOM radiology studies from all healthcare systems in Pennsylvania, including UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center), Penn Medicine, Geisinger, Jefferson Health, Lehigh Valley Health Network, WellSpan Health, Allegheny Health Network, and regional clinics.