Bill Overview
Title: Medical Records Access Fairness Act
Description: This bill prohibits health care providers from charging a fee for providing copies of individuals' protected health information. This prohibition does not apply to requests for a (1) duplicate of a copy that an individual has received within the past year, (2) nonelectronic copy that is otherwise available at no cost in electronic form through an online portal, or (3) copy to an attorney of an individual.
Sponsors: Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals who access their medical records
Estimated Size: 330000000
- This bill affects individuals who need access to their medical records without facing financial barriers, specifically the cost of obtaining copies of these records.
- The population primarily impacted includes people who frequently require access to their medical records for personal use, health management, or transferring information between healthcare providers.
- It impacts patients with chronic conditions who might need regular updates of their medical records.
- It also affects people who are in the process of changing healthcare providers or seeking second opinions, as they would need to transfer their medical history.
- This can support individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds by removing financial barriers to access their health information, promoting health equity.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily benefits individuals who need to access their medical records frequently, such as those with chronic conditions or complicated medical histories, who might otherwise incur fees from medical providers.
- Lowering financial barriers for accessing medical records may particularly help people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and those changing healthcare providers.
- Given the significant number of people who may need access to medical records, the proposed budget is reasonable, but may not cover more extensive healthcare infrastructural changes required for implementation.
- Some individuals might not see a direct impact if they rarely need copies of their medical records or already use free online portals, thereby making the policy less significant to them.
- Considering the diversity of the U.S. population and the varying healthcare needs, the impact of the policy will vary significantly across different demographics.
Simulated Interviews
Marketing Analyst (New York, NY)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will significantly help me because obtaining my medical records frequently incurs extra costs which add up over time.
- No longer having to pay these fees would alleviate some financial stress.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Freelance Photographer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's nice to save some money when I occasionally need my records, but it's not a game-changer for me. I usually get digital copies anyway.
- This is good for people with more consistent medical needs though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired (Austin, TX)
Age: 63 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Accessing records without fees will be a big relief on my tight budget.
- It can be difficult to keep track of everything when seeing so many specialists.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Attorney (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't often access my personal records, but I can see how this would help many of my clients.
- The policy shouldn't directly impact my daily routine significantly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
College Student (Portland, OR)
Age: 21 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy might help save a bit of money when transferring records between therapists.
- It's nice to know that I won't have to worry about an extra expense when my healthcare needs change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Small Business Owner (Miami, FL)
Age: 56 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I generally do not face issues with paying fees for my medical records as it's quite rare.
- This is more of a benefit to those with ongoing health issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Factory Worker (Detroit, MI)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The elimination of charges is beneficial as I often need to access my records during follow-ups.
- Every bit of savings helps, especially since I'm currently unable to work.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Software Engineer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This change is crucial for managing my condition without added costs for record access.
- It's a good step towards making healthcare more accessible.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
High School Teacher (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Personally, I don't see much impact, but I can see it being helpful for some of my colleagues who have more intensive family healthcare needs.
- It’s a helpful policy but limited for someone like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
University Professor (Boston, MA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is excellent for those who routinely need to access medical records, but I don’t foresee much change personally.
- It's another step for healthcare accessibility, which I support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 2: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 3: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 5: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 10: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 100: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Key Considerations
- Ensuring compliance with the prohibition on fees might require oversight, potentially involving regulatory bodies or health administrators.
- The exemption clauses for duplicate copies and attorney requests might need clear guidelines to avoid loopholes or confusion.
- Potential need for healthcare IT infrastructure adjustments to handle increased electronic records access.