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Records Request

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pookie64

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I received a invoice from a records copying service today for copies that the VA had requested, now the billing company tells me that if I cancel the $96.00 request I will still be responsible for 50% of the invoice. So to make a long story short I am out of pocket for $50.00 plus If I have these records sent. I would like to know if these records are pertinent to my being rated and I have already sent in the same items copies. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank You

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Well if you did not specifically ask this record service to copy your records, I would expect you have no legal responsibility for this invoice. If VA sent you a release and they sent it to the doctor and that is what has generated the invoice I would politley indicate they should be billing the federal government.

On a practical side, if these records are important to your claim you might be better off paying the invoice.

If the records and the doctor are not vital to your claim you could give the records service and the doctor a public flogging in the local newspaper which might change policy for other Vets but will permanently change your relationship with the provider.

Best regards,

Tyler

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I once went to the hospital where I had my heart surgery and had to pay for copies and also to one of my private doctors and again was charged. But I have never heard of the VA requesting copies and sending the bill to the vet!

If the VA requested them then they should be paying not the vet.

This smells awful fishy if you ask me!

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I had requested the medical records from the Nix Hospital here in San Antionio and was told to get the VA to request them, and I could get them from the VA. I also requested copies from another hospital, and they told me the same thing. My response to them was if you can give them to the VA for free, why not by-pass the middle man and send them directly to the Veteran, besides I don't trust the VA, and by the time I would get it I would be dead or too senile to understand it.

Papa

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The VA is responsible for getting records from any government agencies. In your Duty to Assit Letter it should have been stated that the VA can not pay for records. And that if there is any cost inccured, you will be responsible. On the other hand, if you have already sent in the records there is no need to pay to have the same records sent again. If you send in medical records, do not sign the 21-4142 that is sent to you. The VA has to follow-up by requesting the same information from your doctor. It is a courtesy that the doctors offices give to the VA by providing them free of charge. Some choose to charge the veteran, in that you signed the request.

Hope this helped.

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