New York Assembly Bill A07981

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/16/25
• Refer: 4/16/25

Caption

Requires that a contract between an insurer and a hospital shall include a provision that provides for medical records requested by the insurer or its utilization review agent to be made available electronically by the hospital; limits the use of disclosed records.

Impact

The legislation is expected to have significant implications for state laws regulating health records and the insurance industry. By ensuring that electronic medical records are efficiently shared between hospitals and insurers, the bill will promote faster decisions regarding claims and could enhance patient care outcomes. However, the requirement for direct access raises concerns about data security and patient privacy. Stakeholders will need to ensure that the electronic sharing mechanisms safeguard sensitive health information while complying with existing privacy laws.

Summary

Bill A07981 aims to amend both the insurance law and public health law in New York State by mandating that contracts between insurers and hospitals include provisions for the electronic sharing of medical records. Specifically, hospitals will be required to provide insurers or their utilization review agents direct electronic access to requested medical records, which facilitates the process of utilization review. This step is seen as a modernization effort in the health records management sector, aiming to improve efficiency and patient care through more streamlined processes in verifying the medical necessity of care.

Contention

There are various points of contention surrounding this bill. Critics have expressed concerns regarding potential misuse of the medical records shared electronically, fearing that this could lead to breaches of patient confidentiality. Additionally, there are apprehensions that the requirements may impose a burden on smaller healthcare providers who may struggle with the technological demands of compliance. Supporters argue that the bill is crucial for streamlining processes and improving healthcare deliveries, believing that it ultimately benefits patients by enhancing the reliability and speed of medical claims processing.