You have the right to go back to the health care provider and request amendments and corrections if you find incorrect information in your records.
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STEP 1: Make a list of all items that require a correction, focusing on errors in your personal information, test results, diagnoses, procedures, medications, and anything else that might have an impact on your care or insurance in the future. Note that some minor errors may not require correction. Use your best judgment. |
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STEP 2: Contact the provider’s office and ask if they have a form to use when requesting corrections. If they do, follow the instruction on that form. If they do not, you will need to summarize your request in a letter. |
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STEP 3: Document the errors. Include copies of the parts of the record with errors and note any needed corrections. In some cases, you may need to provide additional explanations |
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STEP 4: Return your request to your provider's office, noting when you dropped it off or when you sent it. If you send your request through the U.S. Mail via a shipping company, you may want to use a service that provides proof of receipt. The provider must respond within 60 days, although they may take an additional 30 days if they provide you with an explanation. If your provider refuses to make some or all of the corrections, they must provide you with an explanation. If you still disagree with their explanation, you have the right to submit a letter of disagreement, which by law the provider must insert into your record. |
If you feel you have been treated unfairly, you may also submit a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.