General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state.

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Glossary

Designated record set

The records a health care provider or health plan keeps about you and uses to make decisions, including medical and billing records. Your HIPAA right of access covers these records.

Last reviewed By the Editorial team 2 min read

General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state.

Quick answer

A designated record set is the group of records a health care provider or health plan keeps about you and uses to make decisions about you. For a provider, it means medical records and billing records. Under HIPAA, you have the right to see and get copies of these records.

In a car accident claim#

A crash claim depends on two kinds of paperwork: records that prove the injury and itemized bills that prove the cost. Because the HIPAA right of access covers your whole designated record set, you can ask for billing and payment records, not just your chart.

The rules give you some leverage. A provider must act on your request within 30 days, with one extension of up to 30 days if it explains the delay in writing. It must give you access in the form and format you ask for if it is readily producible, including an electronic copy of records kept electronically. Copy fees are limited to a reasonable, cost-based amount. Psychotherapy notes are handled separately: psychotherapy notes generally need their own separate authorization. Our guide to medical records explains what to request from each provider and how the records fit into the claim process.

Example#

Questions people ask

Does the designated record set include my medical bills?

Yes. For a health care provider, it includes billing records as well as medical records, so you can request itemized bills and payment records under your HIPAA right of access.

How long does a provider have to send my records?

Under HIPAA, a provider must act within 30 days of receiving your request. It may take one extension of up to 30 days if it tells you in writing why.

Sources

  1. eCFR, 45 CFR 164.501 Definitions — definition of designated record set
  2. eCFR, 45 CFR 164.524 Access of individuals to protected health information — the right of access, form and fees
  3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HIPAA right of access timing — time to provide records
  4. eCFR, 45 CFR 164.508 Uses and disclosures for which an authorization is required — as of October 2026

Last reviewed October 29, 2026 by the Accident Claim Facts editorial team. Found an error? Tell us.

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