Sec. 20-1. *(See end of section for amended version and effective date.) Healing arts defined. The practice of the healing arts means the practice of medicine, chiropractic, podiatry, natureopathy and, except as used in chapters 384a and 388, and sections 19a-16a to 19a-16c, inclusive, the practice of optometry.
(1949 Rev., S. 4352; P.A. 80-484, S. 168, 176; P.A. 81-471, S. 4, 71; P.A. 94-202; P.A. 99-102, S. 1.)

Note: On and after the later of October 1, 2000, or the date notice is published by the Commissioner of Public Health in the Connecticut Law Journal indicating that the licensing of athletic trainers and physical therapist assistants is being implemented by the commissioner, this section, as amended by section 10 of public act 00-226, is to read as follows:

"Sec. 20-1. Healing arts defined. The practice of the healing arts means the practice of medicine, chiropractic, podiatry, natureopathy and, except as used in chapters 384a and 388, the practice of optometry."
(1949 Rev., S. 4352; P.A. 80-484, S. 168, 176; P.A. 81-471, S. 4, 71; P.A. 94-202; P.A. 99-102, S. 1; P.A. 00-226, S. 10, 20.)
History: P.A. 80-484 substituted "means" for "shall be understood to be"; P.A. 81-471 added podiatry to professions included within the term "healing arts" as of July 1, 1981; P.A. 94-202 conditionally included optometry as a healing art; P.A. 99-102 deleted obsolete reference to osteopathy; P.A. 00-226 deleted reference to Secs. 19a-16a to 19a-16c, inclusive, effective the later of October 1, 2000, or the date notice is published by the Commissioner of Public Health in the Connecticut Law Journal indicating that the licensing of athletic trainers and physical therapist assistants is being implemented by the commissioner.
Cited. 15 CS 468.

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Secs. 20-2 to 20-7. Examining boards, generally. Sections 20-2 to 20-7, inclusive, are repealed.
(1949, Rev., S. 4351, 4353−4356; 1949, S. 2186d; 1955, S. 2187d; 1957, P.A. 197; September, 1957, P.A. 11, S. 13; 1971, P.A. 870, S. 54; P.A. 73-616, S. 19; P.A. 75-268, S. 5.)

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Sec. 20-7a. Billing for clinical laboratory services. Cost of diagnostic tests. Financial disclosures to patients. (a) Any practitioner of the healing arts who agrees with any clinical laboratory, either private or hospital, to make payments to such laboratory for individual tests or test series for patients shall disclose on the bills to patients or third party payors the name of such laboratory, the amount or amounts charged by such laboratory for individual tests or test series and the amount of his procurement or processing charge, if any, for each test or test series. Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.
(b) Each practitioner of the healing arts who recommends a test to aid in the diagnosis of a patient's physical condition shall, to the extent the practitioner is reasonably able, inform the patient of the approximate range of costs of such test.
(c) Each practitioner of the healing arts who (1) has an ownership or investment interest in an entity which provides diagnostic or therapeutic services, or (2) receives compensation or remuneration for referral of such patient to an entity which provides diagnostic or therapeutic services shall disclose such interest to any patient prior to referring such patient to such entity for diagnostic or therapeutic services and provide reasonable referral alternatives. Such information shall be verbally disclosed to each patient or shall be posted in a conspicuous place visible to patients in the practitioner's office. The posted information shall list the therapeutic and diagnostic services in which the practitioner has an ownership or investment interest and therapeutic and diagnostic services from which the practitioner receives compensation or remuneration for referrals and state that alternate referrals will be made upon request. Therapeutic services include physical therapy, radiation therapy, intravenous therapy and rehabilitation services including physical therapy, occupational therapy or speech pathology or any combination thereof. This subsection shall not apply to in-office ancillary services. As used in this subsection, "ownership or investment interest" shall not include ownership of investment securities purchased by the practitioner on terms available to the general public and which are publicly traded; and "entity which provides diagnostic or therapeutic services" shall include services provided by an entity within a hospital but which is not owned by the hospital. Violation of this subsection shall constitute conduct subject to disciplinary action under subdivision (6) of subsection (a) of section 19a-17.
(P.A. 73-159; P.A. 91-168; P.A. 92-24.)
History: P.A. 91-168 added a new Subsec. (b) to require practitioners to inform patients regarding the costs of diagnostic tests ordered, and added a new Subsec. (c) to require practitioners to make disclosures of financial interests in diagnostic imaging equipment to patients; P.A. 92-24 amended Subsec. (c) to change disclosure requirements from diagnostic imaging equipment to diagnostic or therapeutic services or compensation or remuneration for referrals of such services, to explain verbal and posted disclosure requirements, to add definition of entity which provides diagnostic or therapeutic services, and to make violation of Subsec. subject to disciplinary action.

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Sec. 20-7b. Definitions. For purposes of sections 20-7b to 20-7e, inclusive:
(a) "Patient" means a natural person who has received health care services from a provider for treatment of a medical condition, or a person he designates in writing as his representative; and
(b) "Provider" means any person or organization that furnishes health care services and is licensed or certified to furnish such services pursuant to chapters 370 to 373, inclusive, 375 to 384a, inclusive, 388, 398 and 399 or is licensed or certified pursuant to chapter 368d.
(P.A. 83-413, S. 1; P.A. 86-43, S. 1; P.A. 91-137, S. 1; P.A. 92-78, S. 1, 3; P.A. 93-316, S. 2; P.A. 94-174, S. 5, 12.)
History: P.A. 86-43 included chapter 381 in the chapters cited in Subsec. (b); P.A. 91-137 redefined "provider" to include institutions licensed pursuant to chapter 368v; P.A. 92-78 amended Subsec. (b) to delete changes enacted by public act 91-137; P.A. 93-316 redefined "provider" to include organizations and reference to licensure or certification pursuant to chapter 368d; P.A. 94-174 amended Subsec. (b) to add references to providers who are certified and chapters 383 to 384a, 388, 398 and 399, effective June 6, 1994.

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Sec. 20-7c. Access to medical records. Mandatory notification to patient of certain test results. (a)(1) A provider, except as provided in section 4-194, shall supply to a patient upon request complete and current information possessed by that provider concerning any diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of the patient; and (2) a provider shall notify a patient of any test results in the provider's possession that indicate a need for further treatment or diagnosis.
(b) Upon a written request of a patient, his attorney or authorized representative, or pursuant to a written authorization, a provider, except as provided in section 4-194, shall furnish to the person making such request a copy of the patient's health record, including but not limited to, bills, x-rays and copies of laboratory reports, contact lens specifications based on examinations and final contact lens fittings given within the preceding three months or such longer period of time as determined by the provider but no longer than six months, records of prescriptions and other technical information used in assessing the patient's health condition. No provider shall charge more than forty- five cents per page, including any research fees, handling fees or related costs, and the cost of first class postage, if applicable, for furnishing a health record pursuant to this subsection, except such provider may charge a patient the amount necessary to cover the cost of materials for furnishing a copy of an x-ray, provided no such charge shall be made for furnishing a health record or part thereof to a patient, his attorney or authorized representative if the record or part thereof is necessary for the purpose of supporting a claim or appeal under any provision of the Social Security Act and the request is accompanied by documentation of the claim or appeal. A provider shall furnish a health record requested pursuant to this section within thirty days of the request.
(c) If a provider, as defined in section 20-7b, reasonably determines that the information is detrimental to the physical or mental health of the patient, or is likely to cause the patient to harm himself or another, he may withhold the information from the patient. The information may be supplied to an appropriate third party or to another provider who may release the information to the patient. If disclosure of information is refused by a provider under this subsection, any person aggrieved thereby may, within thirty days of such refusal, petition the superior court for the judicial district in which he resides for an order requiring the provider to disclose the information. Such a proceeding shall be privileged with respect to assignment for trial. The court, after hearing and an in camera review of the information in question, shall issue the order requested unless it determines that such disclosure would be detrimental to the physical or mental health of the person or is likely to cause the person to harm himself or another.
(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any information relative to any psychiatric or psychological problems or conditions.
(P.A. 83-413, S. 2; P.A. 86-43, S. 2; P.A. 91-137, S. 2; P.A. 93-316, S. 3; P.A. 94-158, S. 2; P.A. 95-100; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2, S. 44.)
History: P.A. 86-43 amended Subsec. (b) to limit the cost to the patient for a copy of a health record; P.A. 91-137 amended Subsec. (b) to provide that no charge be made for furnishing a health record to a patient for the purpose of supporting a claim under the Social Security Act and to require that a requested record be furnished within thirty days of the request; P.A. 93-316 amended Subsec. (b) by requiring provider to furnish copy of patient's health record upon written request of patient's attorney or authorized representative or upon written authorization, added "bills" as part of record and increased maximum charge per page from twenty-five to forty-five cents per page, provided provider may charge cost necessary for furnishing copy of x-ray; P.A. 94-158 amended Subsec. (b) to specify that the maximum per page charge allowed for furnishing a health record includes any research fees, handling fees or related costs; P.A. 95-100 amended Subsec. (b) to add the provision on contact lenses and to limit access to prescriptions to "records of" prescriptions; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2 amended Subsec. (a) by designating existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and adding Subdiv. (2) re notification of certain test results.

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Sec. 20-7d. Release of patient's medical records to another provider. A copy of the patient's health record, including but not limited to, x-rays and copies of laboratory reports, prescriptions and other technical information used in assessing the patient's condition shall be furnished to another provider upon the written request of the patient. The written request shall specify the name of the provider to whom the health record is to be furnished. The patient shall be responsible for the reasonable costs of furnishing the information.
(P.A. 83-413, S. 3.)

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Sec. 20-7e. Medical records maintained by agencies. The provisions of sections 20-7b to 20-7d, inclusive, shall not apply to medical records maintained by any agency as defined in section 4-190.
(P.A. 83-413, S. 4.)

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Sec. 20-7f. Unfair billing practices. (a) For purposes of this section:
(1) "Request payment" includes, but is not limited to, submitting a bill for services not actually owed or submitting for such services an invoice or other communication detailing the cost of the services that is not clearly marked with the phrase "This is not a bill".
(2) "Health care provider" means a person licensed to provide health care services under chapters 370 to 373, inclusive, chapters 375 to 383b, inclusive, chapters 384a to 384c, inclusive, or chapter 400j.
(3) "Enrollee" means a person who has contracted for or who participates in a managed care plan for himself or his eligible dependents.
(4) "Managed care organization" means an insurer, health care center, hospital or medical service corporation or other organization delivering, issuing for delivery, renewing or amending any individual or group health managed care plan in this state.
(5) "Copayment or deductible" means the portion of a charge for services covered by a managed care plan that, under the plan's terms, it is the obligation of the enrollee to pay.
(b) It shall be an unfair trade practice in violation of chapter 735a for any health care provider to request payment from an enrollee, other than a copayment or deductible, for medical services covered under a managed care plan.
(c) It shall be an unfair trade practice in violation of chapter 735a for any health care provider to report to a credit reporting agency an enrollee's failure to pay a bill for medical services when a managed care organization has primary responsibility for payment of such services.
(P.A. 98-163, S. 1.)

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