Bill > S1624

This bill aims to modify Massachusetts law regarding personal health information by expanding and clarifying definitions and regulations around medical record storage and access. The bill introduces comprehensive definitions for key terms like "Hospital/Clinic" (which broadly includes various healthcare providers from hospitals to therapists), "Patient" (including the patient themselves and their legal representatives), and "Authorized Third Party" (entities contracted or authorized by the patient). It mandates that medical records must now be kept using secure electronic digital media, shifting away from previous allowances for handwritten or printed records. The bill also significantly changes the fee structure for medical record requests: for patients, hospitals can now only charge a maximum $15 administrative fee plus up to $10 for the electronic storage device used to transfer records, whereas for authorized third parties, the administrative fee can be up to $50 plus the same device cost. These changes aim to make medical record access more standardized, electronic, and potentially more affordable for patients while maintaining a mechanism for healthcare providers to recover basic administrative costs.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1624