Medical Record Retention: A Vital Partnership

At VNS Health, we deeply value our partnership with health care providers. Your commitment to maintaining accurate medical records is crucial for delivering quality care to our members. These records not only support evidence of care and services provided under health plan benefits but also serve as essential legal business records. They must be maintained in accordance with federal and state regulations to ensure that the information, if accessed, is accurate and complete.

For providers in Medicare managed care programs, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) mandates retaining patient records for 10 years.

Best Practices:

All Individual and larger group practices must ensure that every patient’s medical record is properly safeguarded. Utilizing a system that ensures the security and integrity of all records is essential. Medical records, whether original or legally reproduced (electronic or digital), must be:

• Accurately written
• Promptly completed and signed
• Readily accessible

These practices support regulatory compliance and ensure records are available for government regulatory compliance audits. Thank you for maintaining high standards in medical record retention. For additional information, view this memo or visit the CMS Medicare Learning Network site.