Substitute Senate Bill No. 1437 proposes significant amendments to the procedures and fees related to health records requests and the examination of injured employees under workers' compensation. The bill repeals and replaces Section 31-294f, which previously required injured employees to undergo examinations by employer-selected physicians, now allowing employees to have their own physician present at their own expense. It mandates that medical reports be provided to both employers and employees within thirty days of completion and introduces penalties for non-compliance by physicians or third-party vendors. Additionally, the bill amends Section 19a-25g to require healthcare institutions to provide electronic copies of medical records to patients or their representatives within specified timeframes—six days for urgent requests and seven business days for non-urgent requests—without needing specific written consent.

The bill also revises the fee structure for obtaining medical records, limiting charges to the greater of $250 plus reasonable costs for postage and materials, or the fees permitted under federal law based on actual costs incurred, replacing the previous allowance of up to 65 cents per page. It clarifies that institutions are not obligated to provide records if doing so would violate federal privacy laws or in response to third-party requests. The changes outlined in the bill are set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 31-294f
JUD Joint Favorable Substitute: 31-294f
File No. 738: 31-294f