List of Forms and Contact Details Required to Request Medical Records From MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2026
MD Anderson reported serving nearly 200,000 patients and families in FY2025, so its records turn up regularly in personal injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death matters. For legal professionals working those cases, knowing which form to submit, where to send it, and which details trigger a rejection helps avoid preventable delays. This guide covers the contact details, form requirements, and procedural steps you need. For firms handling volume, Codes Health offers AI-powered retrieval that validates authorizations before submission and manages persistent follow-up until records arrive.
Key Takeaways
MD Anderson does not publish a fixed completion time for legal requests; its Notice of Privacy Practices states it will take action on certain written access requests within 15 days
The standard authorization is Form INS999544, two pages, revised April 20, 2026
The authorization expires at the later of one year after signature or the date or event specified on the form
Two current MD Anderson sources give different ROI mailing addresses, so verify before mailing
Medical images and radiology reports go to the Film Library at 713-792-6210, though the authorization also has a Diagnostic Imaging section
Billing records are available in paper format only, per the form
Codes Health validates authorizations before submission, follows up across channels, and verifies completeness before delivery
Understanding MD Anderson's Medical Records Request Process
MD Anderson's Health Information Management department handles record requests through a centralized Release of Information office. That central contact covers the main Houston campus and the regional locations in The Woodlands, Sugar Land, League City, and West Houston, but MD Anderson doesn't publish language guaranteeing that one authorization automatically captures every record from every location. When a patient received care at more than one facility, identify the relevant facilities and treatment dates in the request.
The ROI office accepts requests by fax, email, mail, or in-person drop-off. It reviews each authorization for completeness before beginning retrieval, so an incomplete form delays the request before processing starts.
Incomplete or defective authorizations are a leading preventable cause of rejected requests. For firms running several MD Anderson matters at once, the manual work of tracking submissions, chasing pending requests, and verifying completeness adds up fast. Codes Health manages provider outreach across calls, faxes, emails, and portals until the requested materials arrive, giving your team visibility into completed outreach and next required actions.
Essential MD Anderson Medical Records Release Forms
Primary Authorization Form Requirements
Form INS999544, "Authorization for the Use and Disclosure of Protected Health Information," is MD Anderson's standard authorization for release of protected health information. It is a two-page document, currently revised April 20, 2026. Additional documentation may be required when a personal representative signs.
The form asks for this patient information:
Patient full legal name, ideally matching hospital records
Date of birth
Complete mailing address and telephone number
Patient number or Medical Record Number (MRN)
And this recipient information:
Law firm or attorney name
Complete firm address
Phone and fax numbers
Email address for electronic delivery
Record Types Available for Request
The authorization includes checkboxes for specific record categories. Common litigation selections:
Entire Legal Medical Record
Abstract of Record
Consultation notes, progress notes, and discharge summary
History and Physical (H&P)
Operative reports and laboratory testing
Pathology records, including slides and blocks
Diagnostic imaging notes and reports, and diagnostic imaging in CD/DVD or paper format
Billing records (paper format only, per the form)
A narrower request may reduce the volume of material produced, though MD Anderson doesn't publish a guaranteed time or cost reduction based on scope. As a matter of general practice, malpractice matters often call for the complete legal medical record, but what's needed depends on the issues, discovery strategy, experts, and governing law rather than any MD Anderson requirement.
Codes Health helps identify which record types matter for a given case type, so documentation stays complete without unnecessary breadth.
Navigating HIPAA Requirements for MD Anderson Records
Authorization Signatures and Legal Representatives
For an authorization-based request, the authorization must be valid and signed by the patient or an appropriate personal representative. HIPAA also permits or requires disclosures in certain circumstances without a patient authorization, including specified judicial and administrative processes, so an authorization isn't the only mechanism in every proceeding.
The form provides for signature by the patient or a personal representative, and lists Parent, Guardian, or Other (specify) as the representative's authority. A power of attorney holder, executor, administrator, or other representative may qualify under applicable law, but those aren't separate categories printed on the form. The signer specifies their authority.
For a deceased patient, the person requesting or authorizing disclosure may need to establish legal authority to act for the patient or estate. Under HHS guidance, the decedent's personal representative is generally an executor, administrator, or another person authorized under applicable law. Family relationship alone does not confer the personal representative's full access rights. MD Anderson may require documentation establishing the signer's authority, so confirm what's needed with the ROI office for the specific circumstances.
The authorization must be signed and dated. If there's any question about an electronic signature format, confirm it with the ROI office before submitting.
Sensitive Information Acknowledgment
The authorization includes language expressly authorizing disclosure of specified sensitive information, which may include data related to:
AIDS or HIV infection
Drug or alcohol abuse
Mental or behavioral health care
Psychiatric care, excluding psychotherapy notes
There's no separate signature block for this acknowledgment. The patient or personal representative signs the authorization on page 2.
Authorization Expiration Rules
MD Anderson's current form states that the authorization expires at the later of one year after signature or the date or event specified on the form. For litigation running long, plan to refresh authorizations rather than assume coverage.
The form also carries a re-disclosure warning: once disclosed, information may be re-disclosed by the recipient and may no longer be protected by federal privacy regulations.
Contact Details for MD Anderson's Medical Records Department
Release of Information Office
Primary Contact Information:
Phone: 713-792-6710
Fax: 1-855-884-3253
Email: ROI@mdanderson.org
Mailing Address: the April 2026 authorization form lists 1200 Pressler St, Unit 1209, Houston, TX 77030, while MD Anderson's medical records webpage lists 1515 Holcombe, Unit 1209, Houston, TX 77030. Verify before mailing.
Physical Office Locations for In-Person Drop-Off:
Main Building, Floor 3, near Elevator D, Room B3.4362 (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday)
Mays Clinic, Floor 2, near The Tree Sculpture, Room ACB2.1613 (8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday to Friday)
Imaging and Radiology Records
MD Anderson directs requests for medical images and radiology reports to the Film and Image Library. The ROI authorization also contains a Diagnostic Imaging section, so both routes exist.
Phone: 713-792-6210
Records available: X-rays, CT scans, MRI images, ultrasound, PET scans, radiology reports
Formats: the authorization lists CD/DVD and paper as diagnostic imaging format options
Billing Records
For itemized billing statements, insurance claims, and payment history:
Phone: 713-792-2991
Toll-Free: 1-800-527-2318
Alternative: request through the ROI office, in paper format only
Privacy Officer Contact
For authorization revocations or privacy concerns:
Fax: 713-563-4324
Email: privacy@mdanderson.org
Mailing Address: Privacy Officer, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Institutional Compliance Office, Unit 1640, PO Box 301407, Houston, TX 77230-1407
Requesting Your Own Medical Records Online from MD Anderson
MD Anderson patients can access records through MyChart, which lets them view health summaries, test results, and clinical information, request medical records, handle prescription refills, and message care teams.
Adult MyChart users can grant proxy access to another adult with permission. MD Anderson describes this in terms of family members, friends, and others the patient trusts; its public materials don't specifically address attorney proxy access, so don't assume that route is available.
The information available in the portal may differ from a formally requested record set, so for litigation documentation, a formal ROI request remains the reliable path.
Retrieving Old or Archived Medical Records from MD Anderson
Record Retention and Archive Access
MD Anderson maintains records according to Texas retention requirements and institutional policies. Texas rules generally require hospitals to retain specified medical records for at least 10 years, while some categories, including imaging, carry different retention periods. Records may also be kept longer under institutional policy or a litigation hold.
For older treatment dates, contact the ROI office at 713-792-6710 to confirm availability before submitting a formal request.
Multi-Location Record Coordination
MD Anderson operates multiple locations across Texas:
Texas Medical Center, Houston (main campus)
West Houston: 713-563-9600
League City: 713-563-0670
Sugar Land: 281-566-1800
The Woodlands: 713-563-0050
MD Anderson publishes a centralized ROI contact, but when a patient received care at several locations, name the relevant facilities and treatment dates in the request rather than assuming one authorization sweeps everything up.
Codes Health uses provider and facility data to identify where records may exist, which matters for patients with long treatment histories across multiple locations.
Tips for a Smooth MD Anderson Medical Records Request
Common Rejection Triggers to Avoid
Incomplete or defective authorizations are a leading preventable cause of rejected requests. Common problems:
Missing signature: the form must be signed and dated
Incorrect date range: double-check case dates, or specify all dates if uncertain
Expired authorization: check the form's expiration terms before relying on an older signature
Name mismatch: the patient name should match hospital records, including maiden names or aliases
Wrong route for imaging: images and radiology reports go to the Film and Image Library
Missing fields: complete the patient and recipient information the form asks for
Processing Timeline Expectations
MD Anderson doesn't publish a fixed completion time for standard legal requests on its current medical records page. Its Notice of Privacy Practices states that it will take action on certain written individual-access requests within 15 days, which is not the same as a delivery guarantee for attorney-requested records. Treat any internal deadline you set as a firm workflow practice, not an MD Anderson commitment.
Follow-Up Protocol
If a request is pending, contact the ROI office at 713-792-6710 for status information. Have your submission date and method ready, confirm the authorization was received, and ask for an estimated completion date.
Why PI Firms Use Codes Health for MD Anderson Retrieval
Cancer treatment generates extensive documentation across departments. Pathology slides and tissue blocks need special handling, imaging studies can span years, multiple treating physicians fragment the record, and most PI clients have treated at other providers too. Codes Health brings that into one managed workflow and works toward complete records in a couple of weeks.
AI validation before submission that flags missing signatures, dates of service, misspellings, and provider-specific requirements
Multi-channel follow-up by call, fax, email, and portal until records arrive
Completeness verification against the original request, covering medical, billing, and imaging records
Flat fee pricing with no surprises as a case grows
Native Filevine integration, announced July 2026, so teams submit requests, track status, message the retrieval team, and receive records and billing inside the Filevine project
Custom integrations with CRM platforms and other medical software for high-volume firms
Records come in through claims clearinghouses, custodian integrations, proprietary provider networks, patient portals, fax, email, and phone.
Speed claims deserve a closer look. Codes Health's position is that services advertising same-day retrieval often return only the records immediately available electronically, not the complete set. Filling the gaps then takes added client involvement, which Codes Health says frustrates clients and leads to churn. Its reported turnaround is a couple of weeks, with complete records in weeks rather than months.
On general AI tools: General AI platforms like ChatGPT aren't designed for litigation-grade medical record review and can't analyze records at the level PI cases demand. Codes Health's AI platform is purpose-built for this work, building case chronologies grouped by visit and flagging potential breaches of care, pre-existing conditions, and documented future expenses for attorney review, with human verification behind every insight.
Codes Health's MIT-educated engineering team continuously builds out additional workflows and products, so the platform keeps evolving and becoming more comprehensive to meet the changing demands of modern legal practices.
The Bottom Line
The form is the easy part at MD Anderson. What trips firms up sits around it: whether the signer's authority is documented the way MD Anderson wants it, whether the expiration was read as the later of the two dates rather than the earlier, and which of two official mailing addresses the envelope should carry. Imaging has its own phone number. None of this is published as a deadline you can hold anyone to, so the only variable you control is whether the request is clean when it leaves your office. Codes Health makes it clean, works it through to delivery, and checks what comes back, for a flat fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does MD Anderson retain medical records?
MD Anderson follows Texas retention requirements and institutional policies. Texas rules generally require hospitals to retain specified medical records for at least 10 years, while some categories, including imaging, have different retention periods, and records may be held longer under institutional policy or a litigation hold. For older treatment dates, contact the ROI office at 713-792-6710 to confirm availability before submitting a formal request.
Can I request MD Anderson records for a deceased family member without being the executor?
It depends on your legal authority, not your relationship. Under HIPAA, the decedent's personal representative is generally an executor, administrator, or another person authorized under applicable law to act for the decedent or estate; a family relationship alone doesn't confer those access rights. HIPAA separately permits certain limited disclosures to family members involved in the decedent's care or payment, which is not the same as obtaining a complete litigation record. Contact the MD Anderson Privacy Officer at privacy@mdanderson.org for requirements in your situation.
What are the fees for MD Anderson medical records?
MD Anderson states that in some cases it charges for paper copies and publishes a Release of Information fee schedule, and its Notice of Privacy Practices notes that certain reasonable copying and delivery costs may be charged. It doesn't publish a guarantee of an advance cost breakdown on every request, so ask the ROI office about charges before submitting a large request.
How do I obtain pathology slides or tissue blocks from MD Anderson?
Pathology slides and blocks have their own checkboxes on Form INS999544, so specify them in the pathology section of the authorization. For expert review in a malpractice matter, request both the pathology reports and the physical specimens. Confirm handling, shipping, and any associated charges with the ROI office, since MD Anderson doesn't publish those details.
What should I do if the records I received appear incomplete?
Document what's missing and contact the ROI office at 713-792-6710, referencing your original request date and any confirmation details, then ask what's needed to obtain the items that should have been covered by your authorization. Any additional charges are for MD Anderson to determine. If the missing material is imaging, contact the Film and Image Library at 713-792-6210.
