Bill would penalize medical providers for not honoring records requests

Connecticut legislators have filed a bill that would penalize medical providers if they fail to timely respond to injured worker medical records requests.

House Bill 6797, which was introduced on Friday, says that medical providers including hospitals and emergency medical service organizations who do not provide employees in workers comp cases with requested records about their cases would be fined $25 per day until the records request is granted.  

Respondents would have 30 days from the date of receipt for the records request by which to comply before penalties kick in.

The monetary penalties would be provided to the injured worker.

Under the bill, workers comp administrative law judges would have the ability to impose an additional $100 per day for each day beyond the initial 30-day timeframe if the mandatory fine is not paid by the medical provider.

A comp judge could also assess attorneys fees against non-compliant medical providers if injured workers must obtain legal counsel to help obtain the records.

The measure also states that if medical providers contract with third parties to handle medical records, those third parties would be subject to a penalty of $50 per day if the records are not submitted within the timeframe mandated by law.

The bill also states that any contract between medical providers and third-party records providers must, by Oct. 1, contain provisions acknowledging the liability of third parties in such instances.