Substitute Senate Bill No. 1508 seeks to amend Connecticut's regulations regarding access to medical records, introducing several key changes. Notably, the term "authorized representative" is replaced with "patient's personal representative," and new provisions are established for the handling of retained tissue slides and pathology blocks. Healthcare institutions are now mandated to send original retained slides or blocks directly to a patient's designated healthcare provider upon request, with the option to send a new section cut if the original is unavailable. The bill also clarifies that patients or their representatives are responsible for the safekeeping and return of these materials, while institutions are absolved from liability concerning their release or retention.

Additionally, the bill introduces a tiered fee structure for obtaining medical records, which varies based on the requester and the type of records. For patients or their personal representatives, fees will be capped according to federal guidelines, while different rates apply for third-party requests, with a maximum total fee of $1,500 per request. The fees will be adjusted annually based on the consumer price index, and the Department of Public Health will be responsible for updating these fees on its website. The bill also expands the definition of "provider" to include physician assistants and prohibits charges for records necessary for Social Security or veterans' benefits claims, ultimately aiming to enhance patient access to medical records while ensuring financial sustainability for healthcare providers.