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OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 1437
AN ACT CONCERNING REQUESTS FOR HEALTH RECORDS AND
THE FEES CHARGED FOR ACCESS TO SUCH RECORDS.
SUMMARY
This bill makes changes to penalties, deadlines, and fees related to
certain patient health records requests. First, it authorizes workers’
compensation administrative law judges to penalize physicians, or
third-party vendors acting on their behalf, who fail to submit medical
reports for workers’ compensation cases within 30 days after they are
completed.
Second, the bill sets deadlines and fees for certain licensed health care
institutions to transfer an electronic copy of a patient’s medical records
to the patient’s attorney upon receiving a medical records request
directed by the patient or the patient’s representative. It generally
requires the transfer to occur within 20 business days after receiving the
request and does not require the institution to get specific written
consent from the patient before doing so.
The bill also limits the fees for these records requests to the greater of
(1) $250, plus postage and reasonable costs for imaging and materials
(e.g., slides or tissue blocks) or (2) the fees allowed under federal law.
(Federal law allows charging reasonable, cost-based fees that include
only the cost of related labor, supplies, and postage.)
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2025
WORKERS’ COMPENSATIO N MEDICAL REPORTS
The bill authorizes workers’ compensation administrative law judges
to penalize practicing physicians, or third-party vendors acting on their
behalf, who fail to submit medical reports for workers’ compensation
cases within 30 days after they are completed as required under existing
law. Under the bill, penalties must include the following: 2025SB-01437-R000738-BA.DOCX
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1. a written noncompliance notice to the physician or third-party
vendor or
2. an order requiring the physician or third-party vendor to appear
at a hearing and explain the reasons for not meeting the report
deadline.
Additionally, the bill subjects physicians, or third-party vendors
acting on their behalf, who fail to appear for these hearings to a fine of
up to $500 payable to the workers’ compensation claimant.
Existing law requires workers’ compensation claimants, when
seeking or receiving compensation, to submit to a physician evaluation
when an administrative law judge orders it or an employer reasonably
requests it. Physicians must submit all medical reports for these
claimants within 30 days after the date they are completed to the
employer and the employee (claimant) or the employee’s attorney.
TRANSFER OF MEDICAL RE CORDS TO PATIENTS’ ATTORNEYS
The bill sets deadlines and fees for licensed health care institutions to
transfer an electronic copy of a patient’s medical records to the patient’s
attorney upon receiving a medical records request directed by the
patient or the patient’s representative. Under the bill, the transfer must
occur within 20 business days after receiving the request and the
institution does not need specific written consent from the patient before
doing so.
The bill exempts from these requirements (1) Department of Mental
Health and Addiction Services-operated facilities and (2) the hospital
and psychiatric residential treatment facility units of the Albert J. Solnit
Children’s Center.
The bill requires a patient or his or her representative (e.g., attorney)
to pay reasonable fees to get copies of these patient records but sets new
limits on them. Under current law, a health care institution may 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. Patients may also be charged an additional amount needed to 2025SB-01437-R000738-BA.DOCX
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cover the cost of material for (1) x-ray copies or (2) furnishing an original
retained slide or tissue block or a new section cut from a retained tissue
block (CGS § 19a-490b).
The bill instead limits these fees to the greater of (1) $250, plus postage
and reasonable costs for imaging and materials, or (2) the fees allowed
under federal law. (Federal law allows charging reasonable, cost-based
fees that include only the cost of related labor, supplies, and postage.)
Payment is due after the patient or representative receives the records.
(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
individual licensed health care providers (CGS § 20-7c).)
Additionally, the bill specifies that its provisions do not require
institutions to transfer records in the following circumstances:
1. if doing so would violate the federal Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or related regulations, which set
limits and rules on disclosing protected health information;
2. in response to a direct request from another provider unless the
provider can validate that he or she has a health provider
relationship with the patient; or
3. in response to a third-party request.
BACKGROUND
Related Bill
SB 1508 (File 711), favorably reported by the Public Health
Committee, changes the fees related to patient health records requests
by replacing current law’s fee of 65 cents per page with fees that vary
based on who requests the records, the type of records, and the number
of pages.
HB 7227 (File 635), favorably reported by the Government
Administration and Elections Committee, generally caps how much
licensed health care providers can charge a patient or the patient’s 2025SB-01437-R000738-BA.DOCX
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attorney for copies of the patient’s medical records at the lesser of (1) the
fees allowed under federal regulations or (2) $250, plus first-class
postage and certain reasonable costs, if applicable. It makes those that
do not comply with the fee limits ineligible for certain state contracts.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Judiciary Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 41 Nay 0 (04/04/2025)