Medical Records Access Fairness Act of 2026

House Bill

H.R. 7790

119th Congress

Medical Records Access Fairness Act of 2026

In Committee

Introduced:Mar 4, 2026

Primary Sponsor

Sponsor information unavailable

Cosponsors

0

Quick Stats

Summary

This bill would change federal health information technology law to allow patients to get copies of their own medical records for free in most cases. Currently, healthcare providers can charge fees for copying and sending medical records, but this bill would eliminate those costs for patients unless specific circumstances apply.

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Introduced3/4/2026

StatusReferred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

ChamberHouse

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Vote Prediction

Medical Records Access Fairness Act of 2026

This bill would change federal health information technology law to allow patients to get copies of their own medical records for free in most cases. Currently, healthcare providers can charge fees for copying and sending medical records, but this bill would e

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This bill would change federal health information technology law to allow patients to get copies of their own medical records for free in most cases. Currently, healthcare providers can charge fees for copying and sending medical records, but this bill would eliminate those costs for patients unless specific circumstances apply.

Bill Number: 7790
Introduced: 3/4/2026
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Medical Records Access Fairness Act of 2026
Bill Number: 7790
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced: 3/4/2026
Summary: This bill would change federal health information technology law to allow patients to get copies of their own medical records for free in most cases. Currently, healthcare providers can charge fees for copying and sending medical records, but this bill would eliminate those costs for patients unless

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill would change federal health information technology law to allow patients to get copies of their own medical records for free in most cases. Currently, healthcare providers can charge fees for copying and sending medical records, but this bill would eliminate those costs for patients unless specific circumstances apply.

Last updated: 3/6/2026

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

The bill would amend the HITECH Act, which is federal law governing electronic health records and health information technology.
Patients would be able to obtain copies of their protected health information at no cost in most situations.
Healthcare providers could still charge fees in certain unspecified circumstances that would be defined in the law.
The change aims to make it easier and more affordable for individuals to access their own medical records.

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This bill would affect anyone who requests copies of their medical records from doctors, hospitals, or other healthcare providers. It would reduce out-of-pocket costs for patients seeking their health information, while potentially increasing administrative costs for healthcare providers who currently charge copying and processing fees. The bill could make it easier for patients to share their records with new doctors, get second opinions, or manage their own healthcare.

Policy Areas

No policy areas assigned yet.

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

7790, 119th Congress (2026). "Medical Records Access Fairness Act of 2026". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/119-hr-7790

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