Bill Text: CT HB05356 | 2016 | General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: An Act Concerning Veterans' Health Records.
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Passed) 2016-06-03 - Signed by the Governor [HB05356 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2016-HB05356-Chaptered.html
AN ACT CONCERNING VETERANS' HEALTH RECORDS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (b) of section 19a-490b of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(b) No institution licensed pursuant to this chapter shall charge for furnishing a health record or part thereof to a patient, his attorney or conservator if the record or part thereof is necessary for the purpose of supporting a claim or appeal under any provision of the Social Security Act or a claim or appeal for veterans' benefits under any provision of Title 38 of the United States Code or chapter 506 and the request for the records is accompanied by documentation of the claim or appeal. An institution shall furnish the requested record within thirty days of the request, unless the request was received in less than thirty days subsequent to the date the patient was discharged, in which case the institution shall furnish the requested record upon its completion.
Sec. 2. Subsection (d) of section 20-7c of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(d) Upon a written request of a patient, a patient's attorney or authorized representative, or pursuant to a written authorization, a provider, except as provided in section 4-194, shall furnish to the person making such request a copy of the patient's health record, including but not limited to, bills, x-rays and copies of laboratory reports, contact lens specifications based on examinations and final contact lens fittings given within the preceding three months or such longer period of time as determined by the provider but no longer than six months, records of prescriptions and other technical information used in assessing the patient's health condition. No provider shall refuse to return to a patient original records or copies of records that the patient has brought to the provider from another provider. When returning records to a patient, a provider may retain copies of such records for the provider's file, provided such provider does not charge the patient for the costs incurred in copying such records. No provider shall charge more than sixty-five cents per page, including any research fees, handling fees or related costs, and the cost of first class postage, if applicable, for furnishing a health record pursuant to this subsection, except such provider may charge a patient the amount necessary to cover the cost of materials for furnishing a copy of an x-ray, provided no such charge shall be made for furnishing a health record or part thereof to a patient, a patient's attorney or authorized representative if the record or part thereof is necessary for the purpose of supporting a claim or appeal under any provision of the Social Security Act or a claim or appeal for veterans' benefits under any provision of Title 38 of the United States Code or chapter 506 and the request is accompanied by documentation of the claim or appeal. A provider shall furnish a health record requested pursuant to this section within thirty days of the request. No health care provider, who has purchased or assumed the practice of a provider who is retiring or deceased, may refuse to return original records or copied records to a patient who decides not to seek care from the successor provider. When returning records to a patient who has decided not to seek care from a successor provider, such provider may not charge a patient for costs incurred in copying the records of the retired or deceased provider.