The bill amends Section 5-37.3-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-37.3, known as the "Confidentiality of Health Care Communications and Information Act." It revises the definition of "authorized representative" to include any heir-at-law when the patient is deceased and there is no personal representative present, replacing the previous language that referred to "his or her heirs-at-law." This change is indicated by the deletion of "his or her heirs-at-law" and the insertion of "any heir-at-law."

The bill also provides clarifications and definitions for various terms used within the chapter, such as "confidential healthcare communication," "healthcare provider," "managed-care contractor," "managed-care plan," and "third-party requestor," among others. These definitions are crucial for understanding the rights and responsibilities regarding the confidentiality of health care communications and information. The act is set to take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
3044: 5-37.3-3