HB 1414: Medical Record Requests - Colorado

Final Act → Signed Act · 4 edits · Jun 4, 2026

MODERATE

This bill updates the rules for how healthcare facilities and individual providers in Colorado charge fees when patients or their attorneys request medical records. It clarifies that these fee limits apply to both large health facilities and individual doctors, ensuring consistent access to records regardless of the provider type. The changes also refine how fees are calculated for large requests and define specific conditions for providing records electronically.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the fee regulations to explicitly include individual health-care providers, not just health-care facilities, ensuring the same record access rules apply to doctors' offices as well as hospitals and clinics.

SCOPE

Added requirements for individual health-care providers to follow the same medical record fee rules as health-care facilities.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified that electronic records must be provided in electronic format if the original records are stored electronically and the requestor asks for that format.

Updated the definition of 'force majeure' to include factors that make performance 'impracticable,' not just impossible, giving providers more flexibility during unexpected disruptions.

Corrected cross-references within the statute to ensure consistency between different subsections regarding fee limits and exemptions.

Rerevised → Final Act · 7 edits · Jun 3, 2026

MODERATE

This bill finalizes amendments to Colorado's medical records access laws by adding a specific $400 fee cap for large requests (over 664 pages) made by attorneys or personal representatives, establishing an annual inflation adjustment mechanism for this fee, and mandating electronic delivery of records when stored electronically. It also introduces strict 30-day deadlines for providing records and penalties for non-compliance, while adding exemptions for privileged information and force majeure events.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of fee limitations to explicitly cover requests made by attorneys and personal representatives under specific legal authorizations, which were previously less clearly defined in the fee structure. It also extends the applicability of electronic delivery requirements to all covered entities.

REQUIREMENT

Added a $400 fee cap for medical record requests exceeding 664 pages when made by attorneys or personal representatives.

Mandated that medical records be delivered in electronic format if requested, the original records are stored electronically, and they are readily producible.

Created an annual inflation adjustment mechanism for the $400 fee cap, ensuring it cannot decrease below $400.

TIMELINE

Established a strict 30-day deadline for providing records after invoice payment, with a one-time 30-day extension option for force majeure events.

ENFORCEMENT

Required facilities to provide free records if they fail to meet the 30-day deadline without valid justification.

SCOPE

Added exemptions for records containing privileged, confidential, or legally protected health information.

DEFINITION

Clarified the definition of 'force majeure' to include factors outside parties' control that make performance impossible or impracticable.

Revised → Rerevised · 2 edits · May 8, 2026

MINOR

The bill was re-revised to include additional Senate amendments, expanding the list of Senate sponsors. A significant substantive change was made to the medical records section, removing specific requirements that mandated electronic delivery of records only when the original records were stored electronically and were readily producible in that format.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's applicability to electronic medical records has been narrowed by removing conditional requirements for electronic delivery.

ELIGIBILITY

Added Benavidez, Coleman, Cutter, Kolker, Marchman, and Snyder to the list of Senate sponsors.

REQUIREMENT

Deleted a provision requiring health-care facilities to deliver medical records in electronic format only if the individual requested it, the original records were stored electronically, and the records were readily producible in that format.

Reengrossed → Revised · 3 edits · May 7, 2026

MINOR

The bill's header was updated to reflect its revised status after second reading in the Senate, and the summary text was adjusted to reference the reengrossed version. Substantively, the bill removed specific requirements for healthcare facilities to provide invoices for medical records and to deliver records within thirty days upon payment, while retaining the option to extend the delivery timeframe by an additional thirty days if necessary.

REQUIREMENT

Deleted the mandate that healthcare facilities must provide an invoice for all medical records provided in response to a request.

TIMELINE

Removed the requirement that records must be provided within thirty days of receiving a valid request and payment of the invoice.

Retained the provision allowing healthcare facilities to extend the thirty-day delivery timeframe by an additional thirty days if unable to provide access within the initial period.

Engrossed → Reengrossed · 3 edits · Apr 30, 2026

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed to include additional sponsors and updated the header to reflect that it is the reengrossed version available after the third reading. Substantively, the bill removed specific provisions requiring healthcare facilities to notify requestors of a 30-day extension for providing records and to provide those records at no cost if the extension is not granted.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding record-keeping timelines was narrowed by removing mandatory notification and cost-free delivery requirements for record extensions.

REQUIREMENT

Deleted the requirement for healthcare facilities to notify requestors in writing if they need an additional 30 days to provide records.

Deleted the mandate that records not provided within the initial period or without extension notification must be given at no cost.

TECHNICAL

Added new co-sponsors to the bill and updated the document header to indicate it is the reengrossed version.

Introduced → Engrossed · 4 edits · Apr 29, 2026

MODERATE

This bill updates Colorado's medical record fee laws to align with federal HIPAA standards, clarifying that fees for third-party requests (like attorneys) are capped at $400 for records over 664 pages. It also introduces a new provision requiring the state to annually adjust this fee limit for inflation starting in 2028, ensuring the cap does not decrease over time.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of entities subject to these fee limits to include health facilities licensed or certified under specific state statutes and entities regulated under Title 10, in addition to existing health-care providers.

REQUIREMENT

Updated the fee cap for third-party requests to explicitly state the $400 limit applies when records exceed 664 pages, replacing previous ambiguous text.

Clarified the timeline for providing records, specifying that records not provided within 30 days or without written notification of an extension must be provided at no cost.

TIMELINE

Added a requirement for the Secretary of State to adjust the $400 fee limit annually for inflation starting January 1, 2028, ensuring the cap never decreases.

SCOPE

Broadened the definition of covered entities to include health facilities licensed under Title 25 and entities regulated under Title 10, ensuring consistent fee caps across more providers.

Medical Record Requests

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