SB 423: Medical records; access; eliminating certain health care provider duties; authorizing certain fees. Effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was transitioned from the House version to the Senate floor version, resulting in significant substantive changes to medical record access fees and exemptions. The Senate version lowers the base fee for third-party requests from $23 to $20, reduces the maximum cap on electronic record reproduction fees from $270 to $200, and clarifies the fee structure for electronic copies. Additionally, the Senate version adds a specific exemption for records requested by the State Department of Rehabilitation Services for disability claims.

Scope change

The scope of exemptions was expanded to explicitly include requests made by the State Department of Rehabilitation Services, and the financial thresholds for fees were adjusted to be more favorable to patients and providers.

FISCAL

The base fee charged to attorneys, insurance companies, and other third parties for medical records was reduced from $23.00 to $20.00.

The maximum cap on fees for reproducing electronically stored and delivered medical records was lowered from $270.00 to $200.00.

ELIGIBILITY

A new exemption was added stating that the standard fee provisions do not apply to requests for medical records made by the State Department of Rehabilitation Services for disability determination cases.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'responsible family member' was slightly modified to change 'responsible family member' to 'responsible member' in the context of deceased patients.

SB423 (3-24-25) (RADER) FS FA1.PDF → Floor (House) · 2 edits

MINOR

The document was converted from a Senate floor substitute version to a House floor version, updating the header and committee attribution. The substantive text of the bill regarding medical record access and fees remains identical, with only minor formatting adjustments to the fee amounts in the House version.

Scope change

The scope of the bill, which governs access to medical records and associated fees, remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Updated the document title and header to reflect it is now a House Floor version and Committee Substitute, replacing the Senate Floor Substitute title.

Adjusted the formatting of fee amounts in the text to align with House style, though the numerical values for copying, electronic delivery, and media fees remain the same.

House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill → SB423 (3-24-25) (RADER) FS FA1.PDF · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reclassified from a 'Committee Substitute' to a 'Floor Substitute,' indicating it has moved to the final stage of the legislative process for floor debate. Substantively, the text was updated to clarify that patients are entitled to access their medical bills in addition to medical records. The definition of a 'responsible family member' was expanded to include adult siblings and other active relatives, broadening who can access records for deceased patients. Fee structures were adjusted to include specific costs for electronic copies and to clarify that fees for third-party requests (like attorneys) are separate from patient requests.

Scope change

The bill's scope was slightly broadened to explicitly include medical bills as accessible records and to expand the definition of family members eligible to request records for deceased patients.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded the definition of 'responsible family member' to include adult siblings and other adult relatives actively involved in the patient's care, allowing them to access records for deceased patients.

REQUIREMENT

Explicitly added 'medical bills' to the list of documents patients are entitled to access and receive copies of.

Clarified fee structures to specify a $0.40 rate for electronic copies and maintained a $0.67 rate for paper copies, including postage.

TECHNICAL

Updated the document title and classification from 'Committee Substitute' to 'Floor Substitute,' reflecting its progression in the legislative process.

Enrolled (final version) → House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill text was reformatted from an enrolled final version to a House Committee substitute, which involved renumbering sections and adding committee headers. Substantively, the fee for electronic copies of medical records for third parties was increased from $20 to $23, and the maximum cap for electronic record reproduction was raised from $200 to $270. These changes increase the potential costs for third parties requesting medical records while maintaining the same core legal requirements.

REQUIREMENT

The base fee for third-party requests (attorneys, insurance companies) for electronic copies of medical records was increased from $20.00 to $23.00.

The maximum cap for the cost of reproducing electronically stored and delivered medical records was raised from $200.00 to $270.00.

TECHNICAL

The document structure was changed from an 'Enrolled' final version to a 'Committee Substitute' draft, including renumbering of sections and the addition of committee metadata.

Engrossed → Enrolled (final version) · 4 edits · May 14, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as the Enrolled version, incorporating specific fee limits and exemptions that were not fully detailed in the previous Engrossed draft. The final text clarifies the maximum fees for medical records, sets specific caps for electronic and paper copies, and explicitly exempts sensitive records like mental health and substance abuse treatment from standard access rules.

Scope change

The scope of the bill remains focused on regulating access to medical records and setting fees for healthcare providers, but the final version adds specific numerical limits to fees and clarifies exemptions for certain types of records and government agencies.

REQUIREMENT

Fee limits were updated to include specific maximum amounts, such as capping the base fee for third-party requests at $25 and limiting electronic record reproduction fees to $270.

Exemptions were clarified to explicitly exclude psychological, psychiatric, mental health, and substance abuse treatment records from standard access provisions, requiring them to be handled under separate state statutes.

Exemptions were added for requests made by the Disability Determination Division of the State Department of Rehabilitation Services, ensuring their fees are set by the Social Security Administration.

ELIGIBILITY

The definition of who can access records for a deceased patient was refined to specify 'responsible family member' as a parent, adult child, adult sibling, or other adult relative actively involved in care.

Amended And Engrossed → Engrossed · 5 edits · May 14, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was reorganized to clarify that it amends 76 O.S. 2021, Section 19. The text now explicitly grants patients access to their medical bills alongside medical records and establishes a tiered fee structure: a flat $20 base fee for third-party requests (like attorneys) and a per-page fee for patient requests, with specific caps for electronic and physical copies. New exemptions were added to exclude sensitive mental health records and requests made by the state's Disability Determination Division.

Scope change

The bill's scope was refined to explicitly include 'medical bills' in the records subject to access and fees, and it introduced specific exemptions for mental health records and state disability determinations.

ELIGIBILITY

Patients are now explicitly entitled to access their medical bills in addition to medical records.

REQUIREMENT

Fee structure was updated to charge a $20 base fee for requests by third parties (attorneys, insurers) and specific per-page rates for patient requests, with a maximum cap of $270 for electronic records.

EXEMPTIONS

Access and standard fees do not apply to psychological, psychiatric, mental health, or substance abuse treatment records.

Requests for records by the State Department of Rehabilitation Services' Disability Determination Division are exempt from standard fees and subject to Social Security Administration rates.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'responsible family member' for deceased patients was clarified to include parents, adult children, siblings, or other relatives actively involved in care.

Introduced → Amended And Engrossed · 4 edits · May 14, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was amended to introduce a cap on fees for third-party requests (attorneys and insurers), raising the maximum base fee from $20 to $25. Additionally, the maximum cap for reproducing electronic records was increased from $200 to $270, and fees for electronic copies were adjusted to reflect current regulatory standards.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding fee limits was expanded to allow higher charges for third-party requests and electronic record reproduction, while maintaining strict limits on fees charged to patients requesting their own records.

REQUIREMENT

The maximum base fee for requests from attorneys, insurance companies, and third parties was increased from $20.00 to $25.00.

The maximum total charge for reproducing electronically stored medical records was raised from $200.00 to $270.00.

Fee structures for electronic copies were updated to set a maximum of $0.40 per page, replacing previous specific rates.

The maximum fee for providing x-rays or images on electronic media (CD/DVD) was increased from $20.00 to $25.00.

Medical records; access; eliminating certain health care provider duties; authorizing certain fees. Effective date.

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