What's happening
This bill limits the charge for electronic copies of medical records in New York to the lesser of $0.75 per page or $100 total.
Why it matters
Caps the maximum cost for electronic medical records. , making access more affordable, especially for patients or legal representatives needing large files that could otherwise result in high fees.
Reduces potential financial barriers. for individuals seeking their own health information, supporting patient rights and transparency in healthcare.
Aligns electronic record fees with those for paper copies. , addressing a gap where digital records, despite lower reproduction costs, might have previously been billed at higher or unpredictable rates.
Encourages wider use of electronic health records. by setting clear, predictable maximum charges, potentially leading to faster, more efficient transfer of medical information between providers and patients.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Cap Fees for Digital Records
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1510
- Referred to health
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to health
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–1
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
Show 2 earlier actions
- 1st report cal.1138
- 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.
Cap Fees for E-Medical Records
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Michael Montesano
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1294
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 9, 2017
Introduced by Sen. MARCELLINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the reasonable charge for electronic copies of medical records and patient information
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The first undesignated paragraph of section 17 of the public health law, as amended by chapter 576 of the laws of 1998, is amended to read as follows:
Upon the written request of any competent patient, parent or guardian of an infant, a guardian appointed pursuant to article eighty-one of the mental hygiene law, or conservator of a conservatee, an examining, consulting or treating physician or hospital must release and deliver, exclusive of personal notes of the said physician or hospital, copies of all x-rays, medical records and test records including all laboratory tests regarding that patient to any other designated physician or hospital provided, however, that such records concerning the treatment of an infant patient for venereal disease or the performance of an abortion operation upon such infant patient shall not be released or in any manner be made available to the parent or guardian of such infant, and provided, further, that original mammograms, rather than copies thereof, shall be released and delivered. Either the physician or hospital incurring the expense of providing copies of x-rays, medical records and test records including all laboratory tests pursuant to the provisions of this section may impose a reasonable charge to be paid by the person requesting the release and deliverance of such records as reimbursement for such expenses, provided, however, that the physician or hospital may not impose a charge for copying an original mammogram when the original has been released or delivered to any competent patient, parent or guardian of an infant, a guardian appointed pursuant to article eighty-one
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05976-01-7
S. 1294 2
of the mental hygiene law, or a conservator of a conservatee and provided, further, that any charge for delivering an original mammogram pursuant to this section shall not exceed the documented costs associated therewith. However, the reasonable charge for paper copies shall not exceed seventy-five cents per page and the reasonable charge for copies provided in an electronic format shall be the lesser of either seventy-five cents per page or a total of one hundred dollars. A release of records under this section shall not be denied solely because of inability to pay.
§ 2. Paragraph (e) of subdivision 2 of section 18 of the public health law, as amended by chapter 576 of the laws of 1998, is amended to read as follows:
(e) The provider may impose a reasonable charge for all inspections and copies, not exceeding the costs incurred by such provider, provided, however, that a provider may not impose a charge for copying an original mammogram when the original has been furnished to any qualified person and provided, further, that any charge for furnishing an original mammogram pursuant to this section shall not exceed the documented costs associated therewith. However, the reasonable charge for paper copies shall not exceed seventy-five cents per page and the reasonable charge for copies provided in an electronic format shall be the lesser of either seventy-five cents per page or a total of one hundred dollars. A qualified person shall not be denied access to patient information solely because of inability to pay.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the reasonable charge for electronic copies of medical records and patient information
Purpose
This legislation establishes the reasonable charge for electronic copies of medical records and patient information.
Summary of provisions
Both section 1 and 2, as amended by chapter 576 of the laws of 1998, are amended to add that the reasonable charge for copies provided in an electronic format shall be the lesser of either seventy-five cents per page or a total of one hundred dollars.
Justification
In today's technology, we are still required to pay health care providers per page printed of medical records, costing from hundreds to several thousand dollars, when these records are simply copied onto a CD and sent to the patient to be printed on their own. Therefore, the fees imposed when a patient requests an electronic version of their medical records should not reflect any fee for printing them.
This bill will establish a reasonable fee for electronic copies of medical records and patient information so that no qualified person shall be denied access to patient information solely because of the inability to pay.
Legislative history
S.421 of 2015/16
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.