CT SB00958

Institutions must transfer patient medical records immediately if the request is urgent, or within two business days if not urgent, upon receiving a patient-approved request.

Providers must furnish copies of patient health records including bills, x-rays, laboratory reports, prescriptions, and contact lens specifications within 30 days of request.

Providers may charge no more than 65 cents per page for medical record copies, or any lower patient rate or reasonable cost-based fee set by federal or state law, whichever is less.

Providers may not charge for copying costs when returning records to patients, including when a patient declines care from a successor provider after a practice purchase, and may not charge for records needed to support Social Security or veterans' benefits claims with documentation.

Providers must return original records or copies that patients bring from other providers and may retain copies for their own files without charging patients for copying costs.