Crozer Health to Offer Free Access to Medical Records Under New Agreement

Access to Medical Records for Former Crozer Health Patients Could Soon Be Free

Former patients of Crozer Health are expected to soon gain free access to their medical records as part of an agreement reached during the bankruptcy proceedings of Prospect Medical Holdings. Although the deal is not yet finalized, it would eliminate all per-record fees that former patients have been paying since early July.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday’s office confirmed the agreement in a statement, noting that it was reached as part of ongoing discussions. However, the exact timeline for when the change will take effect remains unclear. In the meantime, Sunday urged former Crozer patients to avoid requesting records to prevent being charged once the agreement becomes official.

“While our efforts to keep Crozer facilities open were unfortunately unsuccessful, we continue to advocate for impacted Pennsylvanians who are evaluating options for healthcare,” Sunday said in a statement.

Temporary Free Access to Records Ends

After the closure of Crozer Health facilities earlier this year, patients were temporarily allowed to obtain medical records generated at those facilities for free. However, starting on July 9, former patients began facing fees when requesting documents. The charges included $35 for emailed records or $75 for records stored on a USB memory stick. Paper copies were not available.

Delaware County Council criticized these fees in a letter addressed to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stacey Jernigan last week, calling them “a barrier for Delaware County residents.” The council specifically highlighted how the fees disproportionately affected senior citizens with fixed incomes. Similarly, Chester health commissioner Kristin Ball Motley filed a letter stating that financial barriers could prevent residents from obtaining their records, making it difficult to schedule appointments with new healthcare providers.

The Attorney General’s Office also raised concerns about the fees and cited state and federal laws governing medical record charges. This led to the recent agreement. However, Delaware County Council and the county health department were not involved in the agreement, according to officials.

Impact on Thousands of Patients

Approximately 43,000 patients are expected to benefit from the agreement. The fees could cost some families hundreds of dollars depending on how many records they need, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

“These fees were outrageous and should never have existed,” said Monica Taylor, chair of the Delaware County Council, in a statement. “Our residents, especially our seniors, have already endured the loss of vital healthcare services. To then be forced to fight for access to their own medical records is unconscionable.”

Sunday’s office mentioned that another announcement would be made once the agreement is finalized.

Future of Crozer Health Facilities

Prospect Medical Holdings recently filed a motion to abandon Taylor Hospital and Delaware County Memorial Hospital, claiming the properties are burdensome and of inconsequential value. Since then, an unnamed potential buyer has stepped forward for Taylor Hospital, while Upper Darby School District has agreed to purchase Delaware County Memorial Hospital.

However, both deals remain unconfirmed, and the properties could still be abandoned if agreements are not reached, according to previous reports.

The future of the Prospect-owned Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Springfield Hospital remains uncertain following a hearing earlier this week.