{"id":16371,"date":"2015-03-17T11:55:13","date_gmt":"2015-03-17T15:55:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.poweryourpractice.com\/?p=11299"},"modified":"2025-10-21T14:24:48","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T14:24:48","slug":"shelf-life-can-you-delete-or-destroy-old-records-eobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carecloud.com\/continuum\/shelf-life-can-you-delete-or-destroy-old-records-eobs\/","title":{"rendered":"Shelf Life: Can You Delete or Destroy Old Records & EOBs?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Madelyn Young contributed to this post<\/i><\/p>\n

When I went for a recent annual checkup, my doctor came into the room carrying a tablet on top of a folder of paper records.<\/p>\n

I asked about the paper files, and she said her medical practice keeps them and will rely on electronic health records going forward. This hybrid paper-past, digital-future approach didn\u2019t seem very efficient. It also got me to wondering about the shelf life of paper or electronic medical records.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re still working with paper records or an EHR, you\u2019re undoubtedly housing a huge amount of patient data. What can you toss, what must you keep, and what should you save for just a little while longer?<\/p>\n

Read on to get the facts on EOB and medical record retention.<\/p>\n

Keep it Simple \u2013 Keep EOBs Separate<\/h4>\n

Even though it usually ends up housed within a patient\u2019s chart, the explanation of benefits form (EOB) is not technically part of the medical record. You\u2019re not required to hang on to it very long.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe only keep EOBs for three years,\u201d says Ann Crutchfield, former practice administrator at Rehabilitation & Electrodiagnostics PA<\/span> in Tampa, Florida. \u201cA few years back we added a searchable scanner to our copier\/printer, and all EOBs and other billing records are scanned. After 90 days, my billing staff destroys the originals<\/strong>. Less worries about how long to keep!\u201d<\/p>\n

Making EOB retention its own separate, seamless process remains a great strategy. When it comes to medical record retention, the answer to \u201cHow long to keep?\u201d can get complicated.<\/p>\n

Regulations & Record Retention<\/h4>\n

State law guides how long to keep medical records in most cases, but federal and other requirements come into play as well.<\/p>\n

HIPAA and CMS criteria for medical record retention can vary. According to a CMS podcast<\/a>, \u201cHIPAA rules require a Medicare Fee-For-Service provider to retain required documentation for six years from the date of its creation or the date when it last was in effect, whichever is later. CMS requires that providers submitting cost reports retain all patient records for at least five years after the closure of the cost report. And if you\u2019re a Medicare managed care program provider, CMS requires that you retain the patient records for 10 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Therefore, many practices aim to save records and other personal health information (PHI) for 10 years to comply with these requirements.<\/p>\n

Notable exceptions include:<\/h4>\n