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OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 958
AN ACT CONCERNING THE TIMELY TRANSFER OF MEDICAL
RECORDS BETWEEN HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS AND THE FEE
CHARGED FOR COPIES OF MEDICAL RECORDS.
SUMMARY
This bill sets deadlines for licensed health care institutions to transfer
patient medical records to another institution upon receiving a patient-
approved medical records request. Under the bill, the transfer must
occur (1) immediately, for urgent requests, or (2) within two business
days, for non-urgent requests.
The bill also sets new limits on health record fees charged by
individual health care providers. Under current law, a provider can
charge up to 65 cents per page, including any applicable research or
handling fees, related costs, and first-class postage to supply a patient’s
health record. The bill instead sets the limit as the lesser of (1) 65 cents
per page or (2) any patient rate amount or reasonable cost-based fee
under federal or state law, state regulation, or related administrative
guidance. The bill’s limit specifically applies to not just providers, but
to any other party that has or controls a patient’s medical records.
As under existing law, these provisions apply to medical records
requests by patients themselves or by their attorneys or authorized
representatives. The bill specifies that the fee limit applies regardless of
whether the patient rate amount or cost-based fee applies to requests by
a patient’s attorney or authorized representative.
Under existing law, unchanged by the bill, a provider:
1. can also charge a patient the amount necessary to cover the cost
of material for providing a copy of an x-ray and 2023SB-00958-R000120-BA.DOCX
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2. cannot impose fees for providing health records if the patient
needs the records for a Social Security or veterans’ benefits claim
or appeal.
A separate law, unchanged by the bill, sets a limit of 65 cents per page
(including fees, costs, and postage) for medical records requests to
licensed health care institutions (CGS § 19a-490b).
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
COMMITTEE ACTION
Public Health Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 35 Nay 0 (03/03/2023)