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Senator revives pared-down bill to provide one free copy of medical records for Social Security disability applicants
Summary
Sen. Doug Ricks introduced RS31947C1 limiting previous legislation to medical records related to Social Security Disability applications and proposing one free copy to speed claims; committee voted to send it to print.
Sen. Doug Ricks introduced RS31947C1 to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, describing it as a narrowed version of a measure that previously passed the Senate but stalled elsewhere in the legislature.
Ricks said the request focuses only on medical records needed for Social Security Disability (SSD) applications. He told the committee that SSD applicants or their representatives often wait 15 months to two years for determinations and that the RS would provide one free copy of the relevant medical records to applicants or their representatives to assist the claims process.
Ricks said the pared-down request is intended to address delays for SSD claimants and that the earlier, broader version of the bill had advanced in the Senate during a prior session but stalled in subsequent steps.
Senator Wintrow moved to send RS31947C1 to print; Senator Blaylock seconded. The committee approved the motion by voice vote. The transcript records committee approval to send the RS to print; the printed bill will show the precise mechanism for providing records at no charge and whether state agencies, providers or third parties would incur costs or administrative responsibilities.
