HB 5514, An Act Concerning Various Revisions To The Public Health Statutes
TESTIMONY OF THE CONNECTICUT HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
SUBMITTED TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE
Friday, March 13, 2026
The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) appreciates this opportunity to submit testimony concerning HB 5514, An Act Concerning Various Revisions To The Public Health Statutes. CHA supports the bill and offers suggestions to improve implementation of Section 5.
Connecticut hospitals make our state stronger by delivering nationally recognized, world-class care, supporting jobs and economic growth, and serving communities across Connecticut. Every day, hospitals improve access, affordability, and health equity — providing care to all patients regardless of ability to pay. At the same time, hospitals invest in their workforce and local communities, even as they navigate significant financial and federal challenges.
Section 5 of HB 5514 seeks to require every healthcare provider to notify a patient in writing about the length of time that the provider is required to maintain patient medical records as well as the manner in which the patient may request copies of the patient’s medical records from the provider.
CHA supports the goal of Section 5. Patients should be informed about their rights pertaining to medical records, including how to ask for a copy.
Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), covered entities (providers and health insurers), must provide a pathway for record access. We believe the goal of the bill could be satisfied by inclusion of the listed information within the HIPAA “Notice of Privacy Practices” (NPP, often pronounced “NOPP;” a document required by 45 CFR 164.520), which must be provided to patients upon or before their first visit and also must be posted on the covered entity’s website. This method would allow for consistent, available access to the information but not require a substantial system change or use of paper documents. Because not all providers are HIPAA entities, using the NPP should be an option for compliance, but not the only requirement.
Additionally, we believe the law should apply to health information services or systems, including the statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE or CONNIE), to the extent such systems provide direct access to patient records.
The following illustrates the revisions needed to accomplish the above discussed changes at lines 138-143 (double-underlining text indicates suggested additional language to be added to the proposed “new” sections):
Section 5.
(NEW) (Effective October 1, 2026) (a) Not later than January 1, 2027, each health care provider, and any health information exchange that offers patients direct access to their medical information, shall notify each patient in writing at the time of the initial intake of such patient, or in the case of a health information exchange upon the first contact with such patient (1) of the laws concerning the length of time that the provider is required to maintain patient medical records, and (2) of the manner in which the patient may request copies of the patient’s medical records from the provider.
(b) For health care providers that are HIPAA covered entities, the requirements of this section may be satisfied by delivery of the information listed in subsection (a) through inclusion in the covered entity’s HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices or by providing the patient with separate, written materials in either paper or electronic format.
We welcome the opportunity to work with the Department of Public Health and the committee to ensure the bill creates workable and useful pathways for patients to obtain this important information from providers and direct-to-patient HIEs.
Thank you for your consideration of our position. For additional information, contact CHA Government Relations at (203) 294-7301.