Bill > SB305

This bill establishes standardized, affordable fees for medical providers when a patient's family member, caregiver, or representative requests medical records, addressing the financial burden faced by disabled individuals seeking social security benefits. For electronically maintained records, providers can charge a maximum flat fee of $2.00 per request or actual costs for preparation, while paper records can be charged at a rate of two cents per ten pages plus postage. The bill prohibits additional fees such as record search or review charges and requires medical providers to complete record requests in a timely manner according to federal regulations. Medical providers who violate these fee restrictions can be fined up to $500 for a first violation and $1,000 for subsequent violations. The legislation defines "family member" using federal regulatory language and describes a "representative" as any person or entity appointed to obtain medical records on an individual's behalf. The bill aims to help disabled, often indigent applicants more easily access their medical records for social security benefit applications, following the lead of several other states that have implemented similar protections.