MedicaidDocumentationHigh impact
Provider Responsibility - Maintaining Records
Texas Medicaid·TX·General
We identified it
Aug 4, 2026
Summary
This policy clarifies provider responsibilities for medical record retention and requires providers to report storage locations and contact information to HHSC upon contract expiration, termination, or upon request. Records must be retained for the longest of: 7 years after claim submission, 7 years after all issues are resolved, or until the patient reaches age 21. Billing teams must ensure practices comply with these retention requirements and have documented procedures for HHSC access.
Action Required
REQUIREMENTS:
- Immediately: Billing and compliance teams must audit current record retention practices to ensure compliance with 7-year retention periods (from claim submission, issue resolution, or patient age 21—whichever is latest). Verify all records are retained in original form.
- Before next contract expiration or upon HHSC request: Identify and document the physical or electronic storage location(s) where medical records will be maintained. Designate a specific person as HHSC contact with complete information (name, address, phone number, email address).
- Submit storage location details and contact information to the assigned HHSC contract manager at contract expiration, termination, when updates are necessary, or upon HHSC request. Failure to provide this information may result in contract penalties or compliance violations.
- Update medical records management procedures and retention schedules in billing software/EMR to flag records approaching the 7-year destruction date by claim submission date, issue resolution date, or patient age 21.