Bill > H2026

This bill amends existing Massachusetts law, specifically Section 12CC of Chapter 112, to require healthcare providers to notify patients before destroying their medical records. Currently, providers are generally allowed to destroy records after a certain retention period, which is stated as seven years in this bill. The proposed change mandates that before destroying these records at the end of that seven-year period, the healthcare provider must send a notice via first-class mail to the patient's last known address at least 90 days before the planned destruction date. This notification is intended to give patients the opportunity to obtain copies of their medical records if they wish, before they are permanently discarded.