HHS Office for Civil Rights imposes a civil monetary penalty of $115,200 against American Medical Response for failure to provide timely access to patient records
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a civil monetary penalty of $115,200 collected against American Medical Response (AMR), a provider of emergency medical services across the United States.
The civil monetary penalty was the result of an investigation based on a complaint that AMR had failed to provide a patient with timely access to their medical records. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule’s right of access provisions require that individuals or their personal representatives have timely access to their health information (within 30 days, with the possibility of one 30-day extension) and for a reasonable, cost-based fee.
OCR received a complaint alleging that AMR failed to provide a patient with timely access to their medical records after many failed attempts by the patient. OCR initiated an investigation and found that AMR failed to provide the patient with timely access to their medical records. In response to OCR’s investigation, AMR sent the patient a copy of their requested records and amended its internal procedures to streamline and better track right of access requests to follow the law. In October 2023, OCR issued a Notice of Proposed Determination seeking to impose a civil money penalty. AMR waived its right to a hearing and did not contest OCR’s findings. OCR finalized its determination and imposed the civil money penalty against AMR.
