Substitute Senate Bill No. 1437 introduces important amendments to the management of health records requests, focusing on penalties, deadlines, and fees. It modifies Section 31-294f of the general statutes by replacing "himself" with "an" and "the employee's," clarifying that injured employees must undergo examinations as requested by their employer or an administrative law judge. The bill mandates that medical reports be provided to both the employer and employee within thirty days of completion, imposing penalties on physicians or third-party vendors who fail to comply, including potential fines. Additionally, it revises Section 19a-25g to require healthcare institutions to provide electronic copies of medical records to patients or their representatives within six days for urgent requests and seven business days for non-urgent requests, without needing specific written consent.

The bill also establishes that licensed healthcare institutions must provide medical records to a patient's attorney within twenty business days of a request, while setting new limits on the fees charged for accessing these records. The fees must be the greater of $250 plus reasonable costs for postage and materials or the fees allowed under federal law, replacing the previous charge of up to 65 cents per page. Certain facilities, such as those operated by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, are exempt from these requirements, and the bill outlines specific circumstances under which records do not need to be transferred, particularly in compliance with HIPAA regulations. The effective date for these changes is set for October 1, 2025.

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