IOD/Datavant Medical Records Fee Settlement: Claims Due November 30

People, law firms, insurers, and other organizations that paid IOD Incorporated for certain copies of medical records from Pennsylvania healthcare providers may now file claims in a proposed class action settlement. The court-authorized materials say eligible claimants can seek a payment equal to 35% of covered basic, search-and-retrieval, and per-page copying fees paid from July 15, 2005 through September 3, 2012.

The settlement is limited to people and entities that fit the detailed class definition and were sent mail notice. Claims must be submitted by November 30, 2026. The court has not granted final approval, Datavant denies the plaintiff's allegations, and no payment will be made unless the settlement becomes final.

Key facts

Case: David M. Landay v. Datavant LLC, successor to IOD Incorporated, Case No. GD-09-012922
Court: Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Who may be included: Notice recipients who paid IOD or its subsidiaries the maximum covered fees for qualifying Pennsylvania medical-record requests between July 15, 2005 and September 3, 2012
Potential benefit: 35% of covered basic, search-and-retrieval, and per-page copying fees shown in IOD/Datavant's transaction records
Settlement claims cap: The agreement says total settlement benefits made available to the class will not exceed $9,268,095
Estimated scale: The preliminary approval order describes about 50,000 people or entities and 379,126 record requests
Claim deadline: November 30, 2026
Exclusion, objection, and appearance deadline: September 16, 2026
Fairness hearing: October 16, 2026, at 9 a.m. in Pittsburgh
Current status: Settlement class certified for settlement purposes and proposed deal preliminarily approved

What the settlement is about

The case concerns fees charged for locating, retrieving, reproducing, and transmitting copies of medical records held by Pennsylvania healthcare providers. The lawsuit does not allege that medical information was exposed in a data breach. It instead concerns what IOD could charge requesters under a prior version of Pennsylvania's Medical Records Act.

A medical-record request can come from a patient seeking personal records, a lawyer gathering evidence, an insurer reviewing a claim, or another authorized requester. The record-copying company may coordinate with a hospital, clinic, or other provider to locate the requested material, reproduce it, and deliver it to the requester.

The plaintiff alleges that IOD charged statutory maximum fees without basing the charges on its estimated actual and reasonable expenses. IOD, now identified in the settlement materials as Datavant, denies that interpretation and says the law allowed it to charge the statutory rates.

This is a fee case, not a privacy case The settlement concerns amounts paid for copies of Pennsylvania medical records. It does not concern an alleged cyberattack or unauthorized disclosure of patient data.

What IOD and Datavant do

IOD Incorporated provided medical-record copying and retrieval services. The settlement identifies Datavant LLC as IOD's successor, meaning Datavant is the defendant responsible for resolving the claims asserted against IOD in this case.

Datavant describes its current business as helping authorized requesters retrieve clinical data from a broad network of healthcare providers. Its services are used by patients, health plans, law firms, insurers, government entities, and healthcare organizations. That context matters because the proposed class is not limited to individual patients. It can include lawyers, law firms, insurance companies, patient representatives, and other qualifying requesters that paid covered fees.

The court-authorized documents use both names—IOD and Datavant—because the challenged transactions occurred when IOD handled the requests, while Datavant is the successor named in the settlement.

Who may be included

The class definition is detailed. In general, it covers patients, patient representatives, patient designees, insurance companies, attorneys, and others who requested medical records from a Pennsylvania healthcare provider or facility and paid IOD or its subsidiaries the maximum covered fees. The request and payment must fall between July 15, 2005 and September 3, 2012, and the person or entity must have been sent mail notice.

The fees at issue are the maximum basic fee, search-and-retrieval fee, and per-page reproduction fee under the version of 42 Pa.C.S. § 6152(a)(2)(i) then in effect. Section 6152 is part of Pennsylvania's Medical Records Act. In practical terms, it governed what could be charged for supplying requested medical records.

The definition excludes requests that did not require patient authorization and transactions where the statutory maximum fees were not both charged and paid. The official FAQ gives examples of excluded requests, including requests for radiological images, insurance-company audits performed under a written contract, requests by healthcare providers or facilities, and governmental-entity requests. The court, court staff, certain counsel, and other specifically listed people are also excluded.

Mail notice is important The settlement class is tied to IOD/Datavant's records and the mailing of notice. A person or organization that did not receive notice should contact the settlement administrator rather than assume eligibility.

How the 35% benefit works

A claimant who submits a valid and timely proof of claim may receive 35% of the covered fees attributed to qualifying record requests. The percentage applies to basic fees, search-and-retrieval fees, and per-page copying fees—not necessarily every amount shown on an old invoice.

IOD/Datavant maintains transaction records listing the requests and payments associated with identified class members. Notice recipients can use their Class Member ID, QR code, or Notice ID and PIN to review a transaction list on the official settlement website. That list shows the requests the company attributes to the class member and the settlement benefit available for each covered transaction.

The settlement agreement defines the overall Settlement Claims Amount as 35% of covered fees paid by the class during the class period, capped at $9,268,095. The preliminary approval order says the proposed class includes approximately 50,000 people or entities and 379,126 record requests. Those figures describe the class and transactions; they do not mean every person will receive the same amount.

Payments are transaction-based The benefit depends on covered fees shown for each claimant's qualifying requests. It is not a flat payment and should not be estimated without reviewing the transaction list supplied by the administrator.

How to file a claim

The official site is IODSettlementPA.com. Online filing requires the identifying information supplied in the mailed notice. The claim form allows a class member to review the listed transactions and select the requests for which a benefit is claimed.

The FAQ says patients who requested their own records, and people who made noncommercial requests on a patient's behalf, can use the proof-of-claim process described on the site. Business and professional requesters should follow the instructions applicable to their notice and transaction list. Successors or beneficiaries may need documents showing their right to receive a deceased or former class member's payment.

A valid claim must follow the form's directions and is subject to review, validation, and possible adjustment by the settlement administrator. Claims must be submitted online or delivered as directed by November 30, 2026. Notice recipients who lost their credentials can contact the administrator at 1-800-641-9110 or through the official website.

Submitting a form does not guarantee payment. The court must grant final approval, appeals must be resolved, and the administrator must approve the claim.

What the lawsuit alleges

The plaintiff alleges IOD breached an implied contract by failing to base medical-record copying charges on estimated actual and reasonable expenses under the prior Pennsylvania law. An implied contract is an alleged agreement inferred from the parties' conduct and circumstances rather than a single signed document stating every term.

The claim is that the Medical Records Act formed part of the transaction between IOD and each requester. According to the plaintiff, IOD allegedly charged statutory maximum amounts when lower estimated actual and reasonable costs should have controlled. The alleged damages are the resulting overpayments.

The court's preliminary order did not decide that those allegations are true. It certified a class for settlement purposes and found the proposed deal sufficiently supported to send notice and proceed toward a fairness hearing.

What Datavant disputes

IOD/Datavant denies the plaintiff's allegations. The official FAQ says it contends the Medical Records Act authorized the statutory rates without requiring a separate calculation based on estimated actual and reasonable expenses.

The company also argues that requesters knew the charges and paid them voluntarily. The voluntary payment doctrine is a defense that can limit recovery when a person knowingly pays a charge without coercion or a timely dispute. The FAQ says IOD/Datavant also maintains that its charges were based on its own estimated actual and reasonable expenses.

These defenses remain part of the unresolved dispute. The settlement avoids the cost and uncertainty of continuing the litigation; it is not an admission that IOD or Datavant violated the law.

No liability finding Preliminary approval means the settlement can move forward for notice and review. It does not establish that Datavant is liable or that the plaintiff's interpretation of the law is correct.

Case timeline and current status

July 15, 2005: The settlement class period begins.
2009: The case was filed in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County.
September 3, 2012: The class period ends under the settlement definition.
2026: The court certified the proposed settlement class for settlement purposes, preliminarily approved the deal, and directed notice.
September 16, 2026: Deadline to request exclusion, object, or file a notice of intent to appear under the official notice procedures.
October 16, 2026: Fairness hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. in Courtroom 816 of the City-County Building in Pittsburgh.
November 30, 2026: Claim deadline.

The fairness hearing is where Judge Alan D. Hertzberg will consider whether the settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate. The court may also consider requested attorneys' fees, costs, and a class-representative award. Class members do not have to attend for the court to consider a properly submitted claim or timely written objection.

What remains undecided

The court has not entered final approval. It has not ruled that IOD's charges violated the prior statute or that every transaction in the company's records qualifies. The administrator still must review individual proof-of-claim submissions.

The official materials do not promise a payment date. If the settlement receives final approval, appeals or other proceedings could delay the effective date and distribution. The amount for a particular claimant depends on the covered transactions attributed to that claimant and the administrator's validation.

Doing nothing produces no settlement payment. Unless a class member validly excludes itself, however, the class member will be bound by the settlement release if the deal becomes final. A release is the provision that gives up covered legal claims in exchange for the settlement's resolution.

What happens next

Class members who want to preserve the ability to pursue separate litigation must follow the exclusion procedure by September 16. Those who want to object or ask to speak at the hearing must also follow the notice's specific September 16 requirements.

Class members seeking payment should review the transaction list and submit a proof of claim by November 30. The court will consider final approval on October 16, but payment cannot occur until approval becomes final and any appeals are resolved.

Readers should use the court-authorized website for current forms, credentials, deadlines, and updates. This article provides legal news and general information, not legal advice or a determination that any person or organization qualifies.

Frequently asked questions

Who qualifies for the IOD/Datavant medical-record fee settlement?

The class generally covers notice recipients who paid IOD or its subsidiaries maximum covered fees for qualifying requests to Pennsylvania healthcare providers from July 15, 2005 through September 3, 2012. The full definition includes important exclusions, so receipt of mail notice and the official transaction list are the best starting points.

How much can a class member receive?

A valid claimant may receive 35% of covered basic, search-and-retrieval, and per-page copying fees shown for qualifying transactions. The amount differs by claimant and is listed in the notice or online transaction list.

What is the claim deadline?

Proofs of claim are due November 30, 2026. Exclusions, objections, and notices of intent to appear are due earlier, on September 16, 2026.

Is this a Datavant data-breach settlement?

No. This case concerns alleged overcharges for copies of Pennsylvania medical records under a prior version of state law. It does not concern a cyberattack or exposure of patient information.

Has the court finally approved the settlement?

No. A fairness hearing is scheduled for October 16, 2026. Payment depends on final approval, resolution of appeals, and validation of each claim.