Complaint Review: Second Image National

My complaint is probably small in the grand scheme of things.  I am a plaintiff in a civil injury lawsuit.  The other side (the defense) subpoenaed copies of my medical records, and I requested copies.  I just received the estimate of costs to obtain copies.  One set of records is 70 pages long, for which Second National wants me to pay over $150.  They charge 10 cents per page for pagination, but the fee also includes a "hard copy" charge of 55 cents per page, plus packaging fee of $17. 

I called to ask if the fee would be reduced if I got an electronic copy.  The per page fee went down to 50 cents per page, but they would charge me $25 to access the copy online.  Yes, that's right -- if I wanted to be environmentally sound and reduce the amount of paper and fossil fuels used to deliver a copy to me -- I have to end up paying even more for the records, when all they have to do is scan the document and e-mail it.  Less work for them = more cost to me.

This isn't the end of the additional charges to obtain each set of records.  They charge $52 as a "basic fee," then a $15 charting fee, then a $15 processing fee.  Right out of the gate for any set of records, they rack up charges of $72, per set of records.

Another set of records - a total of 6 pages - will cost me nearly $100 to obtain.   If I get an electronic copy, I'll save 30 cents on the copying charge, but have to pay $9 more for on-line access of the records.  Absolutely incredible.