Hi Nikki,
The 500 dollar fee your mom’s doctor charged for your mom’s medical records is ridiculously high. I decided to look online to find some information about these kinds of fees and found this official gov site, The US Department of Health and Human Services that may offer you some information and solution. Please look over the information there in regards to the trouble you have had with this doctor and determine if you have a legitimate right to file a complaint. You may also want to see if there is a local health and human Services office in your town or community.
http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individual ... l-records/
I’m not sure but it sounds as if what this doctor’s office is doing is illegal in the United States. Please check out this page too which can be accessed as well from the first PDF, but I wanted to make sure you saw and read this.
http://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/ ... ssmemo.pdf
As far as the bill a neighbour of ours had a large medical bill she could not afford to pay at once and so she gave them S 10.00 a month or something like that to show good faith and they could not turn her into a collection agency as she was making an attempt to make payment. Something to check into.
But you do have rights to your records and the only charge they can give you is the cost of copying and mailing. There are videos towards the end of the second PDF that explains how you can file a complaint if you feel your rights have been violated.
Try not to worry. Investigate everything and know what your rights are and then stand up for yourself with action of some sort okay?
Somehow even with all of this I know God has a plan for you and your family. That isn’t very comforting but perhaps tomorrow or the next day or the next you will see a ray of sunshine again. I think the world of you Nikki and even though I don’t know you very well, I have so appreciated your prayer requests for those you love and people you pass by over the years. You have a loving heart and so I think if someone like me who lives halfway around the world can love you, how much more must the Creator of us all, who knows every little thing about you. I want you to succeed and be happy more than anything. I hope you don’t mind if I continue to pray for you guys and who knows when you least expect it maybe just maybe something wonderful will come along that will change everything. You certainly deserve it... Believe that, okay? You deserve this and sooooo much more. (((((HUGS)))))
God bless you always,
Love,
Sandy