Panel advances bill to let Social Security disability applicants obtain one free copy of medical records

Senate Health and Welfare moved Senate Bill 10‑87 forward for possible amendment after a brief committee exchange and a supportive industry witness. Senator Doug Ricks, the bill sponsor, said the measure would allow people applying for Social Security disability benefits to obtain one copy of their medical records at no charge if the request is for that purpose.

Ricks told the committee third‑party contractors that hospitals use to assemble records sometimes charge high per‑page fees — "average around a dollar 24 per page," he said — and large medical records compilations can reach hundreds or thousands of pages. The bill specifies records be provided in an electronic format if available, and it includes a carve‑out for smaller providers; Ricks said offices with fewer than 50 employees are exempt from the requirement.

Kate Haas of Kestrel West, representing the Association of Health Information Outsourcing Services (identified in testimony as "a HEOS"), testified she had opposed earlier versions but supported the sponsor's revisions and urged that the bill be sent to the amending order. "Senator Ricks has made some very significant changes to the bill, and we really appreciate those changes," Haas said, adding that inserting the word "documented" before a "qualified claim" would clarify requests and help prevent abuse.

Senator Alec Zagerfeld asked the sponsor to include the term "documented" to require evidence that a requester is pursuing a Social Security claim; Senator Ricks said he would ask to send the bill to the fourteenth order to include that technical change.

Committee action: Senator (motion carried) moved to send SB 10‑87 to the fourteenth order of business for possible amendment; the committee recorded an "aye" and no opposition was noted on the record.