Substitute Senate Bill No. 1508 seeks to amend Connecticut's regulations regarding access to medical records by introducing several key changes. Notably, the bill replaces the term "authorized representative" with "patient's personal representative" and provides specific definitions for "medical imaging" and "patient's personal representative" in accordance with federal regulations. It mandates that licensed institutions must provide copies of health records, including laboratory reports and prescriptions, upon written request from patients, their personal representatives, or attorneys. Additionally, the bill allows institutions to send original retained tissue slides or blocks directly to designated healthcare providers, with the requester responsible for their safekeeping.

The bill also establishes a structured fee schedule for obtaining medical records, replacing the previous flat fee of 65 cents per page with a tiered system based on the requester and type of records. Fees for requests made by patients or their personal representatives will be capped according to federal guidelines, while a detailed fee structure will apply to requests from third parties, including charges for search and retrieval and medical imaging. Starting January 1, 2026, these fees will be adjusted annually based on the consumer price index. Importantly, no fees will be charged for records necessary to support claims under the Social Security Act or veterans' benefits. Overall, the legislation aims to enhance patient access to medical records while ensuring that associated costs are reasonable and transparent.