Missouri Revised Statutes Title XII. Public Health and Welfare § 198.052. Records of facilities--when examined or audited--retention, how long--to accompany resident on transfer, when

1. The state auditor, at the request of the department or on his own initiative, may examine and audit any records relating to the operation of any facility.

2. The director of the department may examine and audit, or cause to be examined and audited, any records relating to the operation of any facility.

3. Each facility shall retain all financial information, data and records relating to the operation and reimbursement of the facility for a period of not less than seven years.

4. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in sections 198.003 to 198.186, 198.200, 202.905, 208.030, or 208.159, the state auditor shall have the right to examine the records of any facility which he deems necessary in connection with any examination conducted pursuant to his statutory authority, and to disclose the results of any such examination including the identity of any facility examined, provided that the identity of any resident of any such facility shall not be divulged or made known by the state auditor.

5. All financial information, data and records of facilities under the provisions of sections 198.003 to 198.186, 198.200, 202.905, 208.030, or 208.159 shall be open upon request for inspection, examination and audit by the director of the department, the state auditor, appropriate committees of the general assembly, and their designees, at all reasonable times.

6. Each facility shall retain medical records of each resident for five years after he leaves the facility. In the event the resident is less than twenty-one years of age, the records shall be retained for five years after the age of twenty-one years is reached. The time limitations of this subsection shall not apply when longer time limitations are specified in standards for facilities certified under Medicare or Medicaid, Title XVIII and Title XIX of the Social Security Act, (Title 42, United States Code, Sec. 1395x or 1396d).

7. In the event a new operator takes over a facility's operation, the original medical records of the residents of such facility shall be retained in the facility by the new operator.

8. In the event a resident is transferred from the facility, the resident shall be accompanied by a copy of his medical records.