N.J. Admin. Code § 8:43G-15.3 - Medical record patient services

These requirements apply to all licensed general, psychiatric, or special hospital facilities in New Jersey. 

A patient or his or her legally authorized representative may submit a written request for a copy of the patient's medical record from an individual admission. Within thirty days of such request, the hospital must provide one copy of the record to the patient or representative, but may limit access to the extent necessary to protect the patient. The physician must verbally explain the reasons for denying access to the patient or legal guardian, and document this in the medical record. If a physician has documented in the patient's record that providing a copy of the record directly to the patient would be medically contraindicated, the hospital must make the record available to the patient's legally authorized representative or his or her physician.

The hospital may charge a copying fee for records containing 100 pages or less of up to $1 per page, or $100 per record. For records containing more than 100 pages, the hospital may charge a copying fee of up to $0.25 per page for every page after the first 100, up to $200 for the entire record. The hospital may charge a search fee of $10 per patient, per request, even if no medical record is found as a result of the search. The hospital may also charge the actual postage costs for mailing the copy. If the patient has authorized release of his or her medical record to a person or entity other than his or her legally authorized representative, the fee for copying the record or providing additional copies must be based on actual costs not to exceed $1 per page and $10 per search. 

The hospital must establish a policy assuring that patients who do not have the ability to pay have access to copies of medical records.The hospital must also establish a fee policy providing an incentive for use of abstracts or summaries of medical records, but the patient or his or her representative retain the right to receive a full or certified copy of the medical record upon request.

The patient has the right to attach a brief comment or statement to his or her medical record after completion of the medical record.