The bill proposes the repeal of section 191.227 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri and enacts a new section that outlines the rights of patients regarding access to their medical records. It mandates that healthcare providers, including physicians, hospitals, and other licensed practitioners, must furnish copies of a patient's health history and treatment upon written request, while allowing providers to charge reasonable fees for search, retrieval, and copying of these records. The bill also stipulates that fees will be adjusted annually based on the inflation rate of medical care, and it clarifies that the transfer of records done in good faith will not render providers liable for any consequences arising from the disclosure. Additionally, the new section introduces a provision that prohibits healthcare providers or facilities from charging fees for medical or mental health records requested by patients or their authorized representatives when the records are needed to support applications for specific benefits, including those under various federal and state programs. The records must be provided in a cost-effective manner, and if delivered electronically, they should be in a universally accessible format. This change aims to enhance access to medical records for individuals seeking benefits while ensuring that providers can still recover costs associated with record management.

Statutes affected:
Introduced (6361H.01): 191.227