97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB1694

 

Introduced 2/9/2011, by Sen. A. J. Wilhelmi

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
735 ILCS 5/8-802  from Ch. 110, par. 8-802
735 ILCS 5/8-2001  from Ch. 110, par. 8-2001
735 ILCS 5/8-2001.5 new
755 ILCS 45/4-3  from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 804-3

    Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that, if there is no legally authorized personal representative for a deceased patient, the deceased had not appointed an agent under a power of attorney for health care who was authorized to act for the deceased after death, and the deceased had not specifically objected to disclosure in writing, a spouse, adult child, parent, or sibling of the deceased may request copies of the deceased patient's records and health care facilities and practitioners are authorized to provide a copy of those records upon payment of the statutory fee and a signed Authorized Relative Certification attesting to the fact that the person is authorized to receive the records. Sets forth the contents of the Authorized Relative Certification, provides for immunity, and amends other statutes to conform to the new provisions. Amends the Illinois Power of Attorney Act. Adds the function of accessing medical records to the existing instances when a health care agency may extend beyond the principal's death which now are to allow for an anatomical gift, an autopsy, or the disposition of remains.


LRB097 02679 AJO 49071 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1694LRB097 02679 AJO 49071 b

1    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Code of Civil Procedure is amended by
5changing Sections 8-802 and 8-2001 and by adding Section
68-2001.5 as follows:
 
7    (735 ILCS 5/8-802)  (from Ch. 110, par. 8-802)
8    Sec. 8-802. Physician and patient. No physician or surgeon
9shall be permitted to disclose any information he or she may
10have acquired in attending any patient in a professional
11character, necessary to enable him or her professionally to
12serve the patient, except only (1) in trials for homicide when
13the disclosure relates directly to the fact or immediate
14circumstances of the homicide, (2) in actions, civil or
15criminal, against the physician for malpractice, (3) with the
16expressed consent of the patient, or in case of his or her
17death or disability, of his or her personal representative or
18other person authorized to sue for personal injury or of the
19beneficiary of an insurance policy on his or her life, health,
20or physical condition, or as authorized by Section 8-2001.5,
21(4) in all actions brought by or against the patient, his or
22her personal representative, a beneficiary under a policy of
23insurance, or the executor or administrator of his or her

 

 

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1estate wherein the patient's physical or mental condition is an
2issue, (5) upon an issue as to the validity of a document as a
3will of the patient, (6) in any criminal action where the
4charge is either first degree murder by abortion, attempted
5abortion or abortion, (7) in actions, civil or criminal,
6arising from the filing of a report in compliance with the
7Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, (8) to any
8department, agency, institution or facility which has custody
9of the patient pursuant to State statute or any court order of
10commitment, (9) in prosecutions where written results of blood
11alcohol tests are admissible pursuant to Section 11-501.4 of
12the Illinois Vehicle Code, (10) in prosecutions where written
13results of blood alcohol tests are admissible under Section
145-11a of the Boat Registration and Safety Act, (11) in criminal
15actions arising from the filing of a report of suspected
16terrorist offense in compliance with Section 29D-10(p)(7) of
17the Criminal Code of 1961, or (12) upon the issuance of a
18subpoena pursuant to Section 38 of the Medical Practice Act of
191987; the issuance of a subpoena pursuant to Section 25.1 of
20the Illinois Dental Practice Act; or the issuance of a subpoena
21pursuant to Section 22 of the Nursing Home Administrators
22Licensing and Disciplinary Act.
23    In the event of a conflict between the application of this
24Section and the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
25Confidentiality Act to a specific situation, the provisions of
26the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities

 

 

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1Confidentiality Act shall control.
2(Source: P.A. 95-478, eff. 8-27-07.)
 
3    (735 ILCS 5/8-2001)  (from Ch. 110, par. 8-2001)
4    Sec. 8-2001. Examination of health care records.
5    (a) In this Section:
6    "Health care facility" or "facility" means a public or
7private hospital, ambulatory surgical treatment center,
8nursing home, independent practice association, or physician
9hospital organization, or any other entity where health care
10services are provided to any person. The term does not include
11a health care practitioner.
12    "Health care practitioner" means any health care
13practitioner, including a physician, dentist, podiatrist,
14advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, clinical
15psychologist, or clinical social worker. The term includes a
16medical office, health care clinic, health department, group
17practice, and any other organizational structure for a licensed
18professional to provide health care services. The term does not
19include a health care facility.
20    (b) Every private and public health care facility shall,
21upon the request of any patient who has been treated in such
22health care facility, or any person, entity, or organization
23presenting a valid authorization for the release of records
24signed by the patient or the patient's legally authorized
25representative, or as authorized by Section 8-2001.5, permit

 

 

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1the patient, his or her health care practitioner, authorized
2attorney, or any person, entity, or organization presenting a
3valid authorization for the release of records signed by the
4patient or the patient's legally authorized representative to
5examine the health care facility patient care records,
6including but not limited to the history, bedside notes,
7charts, pictures and plates, kept in connection with the
8treatment of such patient, and permit copies of such records to
9be made by him or her or his or her health care practitioner or
10authorized attorney.
11    (c) Every health care practitioner shall, upon the request
12of any patient who has been treated by the health care
13practitioner, or any person, entity, or organization
14presenting a valid authorization for the release of records
15signed by the patient or the patient's legally authorized
16representative, permit the patient and the patient's health
17care practitioner or authorized attorney, or any person,
18entity, or organization presenting a valid authorization for
19the release of records signed by the patient or the patient's
20legally authorized representative, to examine and copy the
21patient's records, including but not limited to those relating
22to the diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, history, charts,
23pictures and plates, kept in connection with the treatment of
24such patient.
25    (d) A request for copies of the records shall be in writing
26and shall be delivered to the administrator or manager of such

 

 

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1health care facility or to the health care practitioner. The
2person (including patients, health care practitioners and
3attorneys) requesting copies of records shall reimburse the
4facility or the health care practitioner at the time of such
5copying for all reasonable expenses, including the costs of
6independent copy service companies, incurred in connection
7with such copying not to exceed a $20 handling charge for
8processing the request and the actual postage or shipping
9charge, if any, plus: (1) for paper copies 75 cents per page
10for the first through 25th pages, 50 cents per page for the
1126th through 50th pages, and 25 cents per page for all pages in
12excess of 50 (except that the charge shall not exceed $1.25 per
13page for any copies made from microfiche or microfilm; records
14retrieved from scanning, digital imaging, electronic
15information or other digital format do not qualify as
16microfiche or microfilm retrieval for purposes of calculating
17charges); and (2) for electronic records, retrieved from a
18scanning, digital imaging, electronic information or other
19digital format in a electronic document, a charge of 50% of the
20per page charge for paper copies under subdivision (d)(1). This
21per page charge includes the cost of each CD Rom, DVD, or other
22storage media. Records already maintained in an electronic or
23digital format shall be provided in an electronic format when
24so requested. If the records system does not allow for the
25creation or transmission of an electronic or digital record,
26then the facility or practitioner shall inform the requester in

 

 

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1writing of the reason the records can not be provided
2electronically. The written explanation may be included with
3the production of paper copies, if the requester chooses to
4order paper copies. These rates shall be automatically adjusted
5as set forth in Section 8-2006. The facility or health care
6practitioner may, however, charge for the reasonable cost of
7all duplication of record material or information that cannot
8routinely be copied or duplicated on a standard commercial
9photocopy machine such as x-ray films or pictures.
10    (e) The requirements of this Section shall be satisfied
11within 30 days of the receipt of a written request by a patient
12or by his or her legally authorized representative, health care
13practitioner, authorized attorney, or any person, entity, or
14organization presenting a valid authorization for the release
15of records signed by the patient or the patient's legally
16authorized representative. If the facility or health care
17practitioner needs more time to comply with the request, then
18within 30 days after receiving the request, the facility or
19health care practitioner must provide the requesting party with
20a written statement of the reasons for the delay and the date
21by which the requested information will be provided. In any
22event, the facility or health care practitioner must provide
23the requested information no later than 60 days after receiving
24the request.
25    (f) A health care facility or health care practitioner must
26provide the public with at least 30 days prior notice of the

 

 

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1closure of the facility or the health care practitioner's
2practice. The notice must include an explanation of how copies
3of the facility's records may be accessed by patients. The
4notice may be given by publication in a newspaper of general
5circulation in the area in which the health care facility or
6health care practitioner is located.
7    (g) Failure to comply with the time limit requirement of
8this Section shall subject the denying party to expenses and
9reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in connection with any
10court ordered enforcement of the provisions of this Section.
11(Source: P.A. 94-155, eff. 1-1-06; 95-478, eff. 1-1-08 (changed
12from 8-27-07 by P.A. 95-480); 95-480, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
13    (735 ILCS 5/8-2001.5 new)
14    Sec. 8-2001.5. Authorization for release of a deceased
15patient's records.
16    (a) A surviving spouse may make a written request for a
17copy of his or her deceased spouse's records after the
18deceased's date of death under these conditions:
19        (1) An executor or administrator had not been appointed
20    for the deceased's estate;
21        (2) The deceased had not appointed an agent under a
22    power of attorney for health care who was authorized to act
23    for the deceased after the deceased's date of death; and
24        (3) The deceased had not specifically objected to
25    disclosure in writing.

 

 

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1    If there is no surviving spouse under these conditions,
2then any one or more of the following relatives may make a
3written request for a copy of the deceased patient's records
4not sooner than 30 days after the deceased's date of death:
5        (1) An adult son or daughter of the deceased.
6        (2) Either parent of the deceased.
7        (3) An adult brother or sister of the deceased.
 
8    (b) Health care facilities and practitioners are
9authorized to provide a copy of a deceased patient's records
10based upon a person's payment of the statutory fee and signed
11"Authorized Relative Certification", attesting to the fact
12that the person is authorized to receive such records under
13this Section.
14    (c) Any person who, in good faith, relies on a copy of an
15Authorized Relative Certification shall have the same
16immunities from criminal and civil liability as those who rely
17on a power of attorney for health care as provided by Illinois
18law.
19    (d) Upon request for records of a deceased patient, the
20named authorized relative shall provide the facility or
21practitioner with a certified copy of the death certificate and
22a certification in substantially the following form:
 
23
AUTHORIZED RELATIVE CERTIFICATION

 

 

 

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1    I, (insert name of authorized relative), certify that I am
2an authorized relative of the deceased (insert name of
3deceased). (A certified copy of the death certificate must be
4attached.)
 
5    I certify that to the best of my knowledge and belief that
6no executor or administrator has been appointed for the
7deceased's estate or that no agent was authorized to act for
8the deceased under a power of attorney for health care.
 
9    I certify that I am the surviving spouse of the deceased;
10or
 
11    I certify that there is no surviving spouse and my
12relationship to the deceased is (circle one):
13        (1) An adult son or daughter of the deceased.
14        (2) Either parent of the deceased.
15        (3) An adult brother or sister of the deceased.
 
16    This certification is made under penalty of perjury.*
 
17Dated: (insert date)
 
18.................................
19(Print Authorized Relative's Name)
20.................................

 

 

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1(Authorized Relative's Signature)
2.................................
3(Authorized Relative's Address)
 
4*(Note: Perjury is defined in Section 32-2 of the Criminal Code
5of 1961, and is a Class 3 felony.)
 
6    Section 10. The Illinois Power of Attorney Act is amended
7by changing Section 4-3 as follows:
 
8    (755 ILCS 45/4-3)  (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 804-3)
9    Sec. 4-3. General principles. The health care powers that
10may be delegated to an agent include, without limitation, all
11powers an individual may have to be informed about and to
12consent to or refuse or withdraw any type of health care for
13the individual and all powers a parent may have to control or
14consent to health care for a minor child. A health care agency
15may extend beyond the principal's death if necessary to permit
16anatomical gift, autopsy, or disposition of remains, or access
17to medical records. Nothing in this Article shall impair or
18supersede any legal right or legal responsibility which any
19person may have to effect the withholding or withdrawal of
20life-sustaining or death-delaying procedures in any lawful
21manner, and the provisions of this Article are cumulative in
22such respect.
23(Source: P.A. 85-701.)