How long should a covered entity take to respond to a patient's request for access to their health records?

A covered entity is required to respond to a patient's request for access to their health records within 30 days, as stipulated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This timeframe is designed to ensure that patients can access their health information promptly, which is essential for their care and personal health management.

If the covered entity is unable to fulfill the request within the initial 30-day period, they may extend the response time by an additional 30 days, but they must inform the patient of the reason for the delay in writing within the first 30 days. This regulation emphasizes the importance of timely access to health records and the rights of patients to obtain their information, which contributes to transparency and trust in healthcare practices.

The other options represent lengths of time that exceed the established requirements under HIPAA for accessing health records. Understanding this timeframe is crucial for both healthcare providers and patients to ensure compliance with privacy regulations while facilitating the patient's right to access their health information.