What's happening
Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.
Why it matters
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to provision of patient health information and medical records
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Richard Gottfried
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S2592
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law and the mental hygiene law, in relation to patient health information and medical records
Purpose or general idea of bill
To broaden the law on consumers' access to their health and medical records and to facilitate the transfer of such records among their health care professionals
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 amends Public Health Law (PHL) § 17 relating to the transfer of health information and medical records among health care providers, to broaden application to licensed professionals who either maintain or need access to such information, to make the law applicable to electronic record transfers, and to eliminate charges for any record transfer that is required for the purpose of supporting a claim or appeal for any government benefit or program.
Sections 2 and 3 make similar amendments to PHL § 18 relating to the transfer of health information or medical records to a patient or his or her authorized representative. The bill expands the definition of "health care provider" § 18. The definition also applies to § 17.
Sections 4 and 5 make similar amendments to Mental Hygiene Law 33.16, relating to the transfer of clinical records among mental health practitioners and access for authorized patient representatives, and updates the list of mental health practitioners accordingly.
Section 6 creates a new subdivision (1) within Mental Hygiene Law 33.16 to connect its provisions to PHL §§ 17 and 18.
Justification
The law on patient access to their own medical records has not been updated since the mid-nineteen nineties. Since then, the computer and the internet have revolutionized the storage and transfer of such records, and the number of health care professions under obligation to keep such records has grown. In addition, the information in those records is now required by patients for a growing number of purposes, including government benefit programs. Patients, who are often already suffering from illness, injury or natural catastrophe, should not be burdened with the cost of delivering such information when it is required by administrative agencies.
Prior legislative history
New bill
Fiscal implications
This bill would have no fiscal impact on the State or local governments.
Effective date
January 1 following the date on which it became law
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.