Bill > SB5254

This bill strengthens patients' rights regarding their health care information by establishing new guidelines for accessing and obtaining health records. The bill sets a maximum fee of $50 for providing electronically stored health care information to patients, their representatives, legal representatives, health care providers, advocates, and guardians. The Department of Health is required to develop standards for reasonable fees based on actual searching and production costs, moving away from per-page calculation methods. The bill modifies existing laws to clarify and expand patients' rights to access their health information, including provisions for obtaining records more easily and with fewer financial barriers. It also updates definitions related to health care information, expands the scope of who can request and receive health records in certain circumstances, and provides additional protections for patients seeking to understand and obtain their medical information. The legislation aims to make health care information more accessible while maintaining appropriate confidentiality safeguards, reflecting evolving standards of patient rights and digital health record management.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5254&Year=2025&Initiative=false