Provisions

• A physician who receives a written request for a patient's medical and billing records must provide a copy, according to the Texas Medical Practice Act. The law requires that a doctor provide copies of these records to either the patient or to another physician, based on the content of the written request.
  
  

Time Frame

• The law requires that a doctor must provide copies of patient medical and billing files within 15 business days after receiving a written request. The physician may also issue a formal denial of the request within that 15-day period.
  
  

Denial

• The Texas Medical Practice Act allows that a physician may deny a written request to provide copies of a patient's medical record. If a doctor believes that releasing the information would harm a patient's physical, mental or emotional state, he may deny the request, but he must place in the patient's medical and billing records a written statement explaining the denial.