HIPAA fax for orthopedic practices

An orthopedic practice of five that moves 500 pages a month, sent and received together, spends $9.99 monthly on Fax Pigeon's Standard plan when billed annually, with a signed BAA at signup. At that volume, iFax Pro with four team licenses runs $93.29, eFax Business $33.33 and SRFax's Healthcare Basic $13.65, all billed annually.

What do orthopedic practices fax, and to whom?

Orthopedic practices send prior authorization requests for surgery, implants and injections to insurers, with the imaging reports and clinical notes behind each one. Referral letters and visit notes go to the primary care physicians who send patients in and then take them back after surgery.

Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers take the operative plan for each case, and primary care offices take pre-operative clearance requests. Therapy orders go to physical therapy clinics, which send back progress notes, and suppliers take orders for braces and walkers. For the clinic side of those orders, see HIPAA fax for physical therapy.

Workers' compensation and auto injury cases add claim forms for insurers and employers, plus work status letters. Imaging centers and other practices send prior reports once the office asks for them.

What HIPAA rules apply to orthopedic records sent by fax?

Orthopedic records fall under HIPAA's general rules, and three habits protect them when they go by fax: the minimum necessary standard, a release on file and a number check. The first limits what leaves the office: a prior authorization packet or a workers' compensation form carries only the pages its request names.

The second habit is a release on file. Employer and attorney requests need the patient's signed release, and the office keeps a copy beside the fax confirmation.

The third is a number check. Insurers, surgery centers and suppliers change their fax lines, so the office compares each number with the current form before sending.

Before any surgical record moves through a fax service, the office needs that service's BAA in hand. Fax Pigeon supplies the BAA at signup for every plan, SRFax offers one on request and posts no BAA price, and eFax prints its BAA on the eFax Business plan card.

iFax's free BAA covers its Plus and Pro subscribers, while iFax Basic carries no HIPAA terms. For the insurer side of a surgical request, see sending a prior authorization packet.

What does a five-person orthopedic office pay for HIPAA fax?

A five-person orthopedic office handling 500 pages a month, sent and received together, pays $9.99 a month on Fax Pigeon's Standard plan when billed annually, or $11.99 on monthly billing.

The table shows the cheapest plan with a BAA for 5 people, as a price a month, at 500 and 1,000 pages sent and received.

Fax Pigeon's Standard plan totals $119.88 for the year. SRFax's Healthcare Basic adds up to $163.80, eFax Business to $399.96 and iFax Pro with four team licenses to $1,119.48, which leaves yearly gaps of $43.92, $280.08 and $999.60 against Fax Pigeon.

Standard includes 500 pages sent plus received, and each page beyond that costs 5 cents. eFax Business bills 7 cents on each page past its plan. iFax publishes no overage rate; its Terms of Use top up credits automatically when usage hits 95% of the plan limit and bill the payment method, so the iFax prices are for the plan that covers the volume.

An orthopedic office that outgrows 500 pages moves to Plus at $16.99 a month billed annually, or $203.88 a year, at 1,000 pages. At that size SRFax's Healthcare Basic Plus is $29.50 a month billed annually, and eFax Business is $54.16. Fax Pigeon's plans and prices list every tier.

How does the total change for ten people in an orthopedic practice?

An orthopedic practice with ten people keeps the $9.99 Standard price from Fax Pigeon (500 pages, billed annually), because headcount never moves that price.

The table shows the cheapest plan with a BAA for 10 people, as a price a month, at 500 and 1,000 pages sent and received.

eFax Business starts with 5 users, and each added user costs $10 a month, or $100 a year when billed annually. Growing from five people to ten lifts the 500-page eFax price from $33.33 to $75.00 a month billed annually.

iFax includes a single user license, so a team of ten there means iFax Pro with nine team licenses at $160.77 a month billed annually for 500 pages. Plus leaves iFax's selector once a team holds two or more team licenses, so the team is priced on Pro.

SRFax keeps its 500-page figure at $13.65 for ten people. Across a year at 500 pages billed annually, the gaps to Fax Pigeon are $43.92 for SRFax, $780.12 for eFax and $1,809.36 for iFax.

Does one fax number work for surgeons, coordinators and billing staff?

Yes, a surgical team can share one Fax Pigeon number, because every plan has unlimited people and a shared inbox with roles and assignment. For prior authorization work, assignment hands a surgery approval to whoever is handling that case.

The rival plans count people differently. Each SRFax Healthcare plan covers multiple user accounts, eFax Business includes 5 users, and iFax includes one user license.

Small offices can read about a shared fax inbox.

Which orthopedic groups should switch to Fax Pigeon?

An orthopedic group of five to ten people that pays SRFax, eFax or iFax should switch to Fax Pigeon, because Standard costs $9.99 a month billed annually at 500 pages for both team sizes.

Standard suits a 500-page month, Plus a 1,000-page month, and the higher tiers reach 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 pages.

A practice on eFax Personal has no BAA, and a practice on iFax Basic has no HIPAA terms. Each should change plans before its next surgical record leaves the office.

A practice that ports out of eFax owes the $40 administrative fee per number, as its Customer Agreement lists. Porting to Fax Pigeon is free.

* Prices last verified October 12, 2026, at each provider's own site. iFax's Terms of Use were last verified October 19, 2026. Fax Pigeon is not affiliated with SRFax, eFax or iFax.