HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4133        FILED ON: 3/20/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3919

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to patient medical records..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Section 12CC of chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a health care provider shall notify the patient for whom records are kept, before the destruction of those records at the conclusion of the 7 year retention period, so that the patient may have the option of obtaining copies of his records.  Said notice shall be sent by first class mail from the provider to the patient’s last known address before 90 days preceding the date of destruction of the medical records.