{"id":47825,"date":"2021-12-27T10:00:08","date_gmt":"2021-12-27T15:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=47825"},"modified":"2025-10-30T10:26:03","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T14:26:03","slug":"what-health-records-should-i-keep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/what-health-records-should-i-keep\/","title":{"rendered":"What health records should I keep?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes we get medical bills, insurance information, and records in the mail. Sometimes we get them through a patient portal. Sometimes they\u2019re emailed to us and sometimes we just get a little printout as we leave our appointment. Do you keep all of these medical records? How do you store them? <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Should <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you keep all your medical records? The questions end here with some guidelines from experts on which medical records to keep and for how long.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"why-do-you-need-to-keep-medical-records\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why do you need to keep medical records?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you\u2019re in good health and do not have pressing concerns, you should always keep your medical records and share them with at least one person in your trusted circle of family, friends, or caretakers. That includes advance directives such as a living will and healthcare proxy. In the worst case scenario, if you are incapacitated due to illness or injury and need to be treated, your providers having access to your medical records can be the difference between life or death.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, having up-to-date medical records can help you avoid billing errors. Sometimes mistakes are made and you might feel you are being asked to pay for something that you shouldn\u2019t. Having accurate data on your treatments, insurance information, and billing history is very important to ensure you are only paying for exactly the treatment you receive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-medical-records-should-i-keep\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What medical records should I keep?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For yourself and your immediate family, you should keep medical records pertaining to the following as you get them:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"medical-records\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medical records<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to your history, you should keep certain records forever, store them safely, and update them as new conditions are diagnosed or medications or health statuses change. You should do this for yourself and your dependents. Examples of health history you should retain documentation of include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personal health history\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New conditions, diagnoses, congenital conditions, and when they began and\/or were diagnosed<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dates of any injuries requiring medical treatment<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dates of treatments, diagnoses, surgeries, and changes to treatments<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dates and durations of any hospitalizations<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medications<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Current doses\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dates of the start or change in medication or dose\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A list of vitamins and supplements\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allergies\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Names and contact information for all providers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generational health history<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medical conditions of family members that may be genetic, such as cancer, heart disease, neurological disorders, and mental illness (information for parents, siblings, and grandparents)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t forget to include mental health treatment and medications in your record-keeping as well as the use of vitamins and supplements for any physical or mental conditions or symptoms. This information is useful for new healthcare providers, or to inform your treatment if you become unable to share your history. Some people wear medical bracelets to share this important information. For certain other groups, like older adults, it can be a good idea to list medical history, list of medications, and emergency contacts on the refrigerator or the back of the front door.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"medical-bills-and-insurance-records\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medical bills and insurance records<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New medical events or treatments fall into another category. Your providers may also keep copies of these records to be used for insurance or treatment purposes in the near future. These include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medical bills<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Copays<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additional fees for medical visits or treatment<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prescription costs\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Insurance documents<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proof of insurance start dates<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Premium payment receipts\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Explanation of benefits statements\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/how-to-get-medical-records\/\"><b>How to request copies of your medical records<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-long-should-i-keep-medical-records\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How long should I keep medical records?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It depends on the type of document you\u2019re storing.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"how-long-to-keep-medical-records\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How long to keep medical records<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both medical and legal experts say you should keep personal and generational medical history documentation for your whole life. \u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the case of your passing, that data can be very helpful for your children to keep in their own family history records,\u201d says <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/davidaylor.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">David Aylor<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a lawyer in South Carolina.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You should retain records of your family\u2019s health history forever. Certain conditions are genetic and past conditions can dictate future diagnoses and treatment. Past surgeries and medications may have complications or indications for providers down the line.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/family-health-history\/\"><b>Why is family health history important?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"how-long-to-keep-medical-bills-and-insurance-records\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How long to keep medical bills and insurance records<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For billing and insurance documents, the consensus varies on how long you as a patient should keep your medical records, but federal law says your provider needs to keep medical records on you for at least seven years. Insurance companies usually keep data for seven to 10 years depending on state laws, so you should do the same.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve gotten a bill months or even years after the procedure or treatment, you will probably still have to pay. State law varies when it comes to how long after a medical treatment you have to pay, but it can be a long time depending on how timely your provider\u2019s billing department is. If you\u2019re being charged for late payment long after a treatment, look into your local laws. Some states say you can\u2019t be penalized for a set amount of time after a bill. This variation among states is a good reason to keep medical records for a long time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t\t<div class=\"singlecare-dynamic-newsletter-wrapper sin-newsletter-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"heading\">Get our wellness newsletter<\/span>\n\t\t\t<form class=\"form-wrapper\" data-newsletter-form=\"1\" data-subsource=\"Wellness Newsletter\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"input-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<label for=\"dynamic-email\">Email<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"email\" id=\"dynamic-email\" class=\"email\" required>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"input-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"submit-form-btn\" type=\"submit\" value=\"Click to sign up\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/form>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"success-message\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-to-store-medical-files\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to store medical files<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Various experts have some great suggestions for keeping track of your medical records. Something to keep in mind is that you should choose an organizational method that works well for you. If you use a file cabinet for your taxes, maybe do the same for your medical records. Consider a fire-proof storage box for paper documents.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Digitally, you have a few options. Storing them using a cloud service, like Dropbox or GoogleDrive, makes it easy to access important documents from wherever you have an internet connection. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can use the cloud storage of your choosing or an e-health service that specializes in medical record keeping. Your insurance company may offer e-health options or you can find one to use independently, which is a good idea if your insurance changes. Some examples include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/industry\/health\/microsoft-cloud-for-healthcare?rtc=1\">HealthVault<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carecloud.com\/\">CareCloud.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A tip about digital records is that you need to make sure someone can access them if you are unable. Share a password-protected document with a trusted person that contains a master list. In the case that you can\u2019t access your records, this person can log in and view the list. You can set up your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/mail\/thread\/32290139\/how-do-you-set-up-beneficiaries-for-your-google-data?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google account with access for your beneficiaries<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if you die.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From a legal standpoint, some experts say you should have a hard copy of any records. \u201cStore them in a locked filing cabinet or safe that is well-protected, ensuring you share the code or key with a trusted person to access if absolutely necessary,\u201d says Minesh Patel, principal attorney of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thepatelfirm.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Patel Firm<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Texas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it\u2019s time to get rid of old medical records, \u201cbe sure to shred them before disposal so that no one can steal your personal data if they find the document,\u201d Patel says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing and documenting your own health and history is an important way to have self-advocacy as a patient. Being able to provide documentation can make your treatment go more smoothly and help keep your finances in order.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes we get medical bills, insurance information, and records in the mail. Sometimes we get them through a patient portal. Sometimes they\u2019re emailed to us and sometimes we just get a little printout as we leave our appointment. Do you keep all of these medical records? How do you store them? Should you keep all [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":47802,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8029],"tags":[729,11278],"coauthors":[20599],"class_list":["post-47825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-education","tag-doctor-visits","tag-singlecare-for-seniors","wpautop"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What medical records should I keep and for how long?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Doctors keep medical records for at least 7 years and insurance keeps data for 7-10 years. 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