H.R. 7790 — Medical Records Access Fairness Act of 2026

This section establishes requirements under the HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 CFR 164.524) for health care providers to provide individuals—and, if requested, a health care provider or family caregiver—with access to a copy (or summary or explanation) of the individual's protected health information at no cost, except when the request is for (1) a duplicate copy previously provided in the same calendar year or (2) a non-electronic copy accessible for free on the provider's online portal. It authorizes transmitting such copies to another health care provider in a readily usable format; specifies that free access does not extend to the individual's attorney; directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue implementing regulations within six months of enactment; and applies to requests made 180 days after enactment. (As background, the HIPAA Privacy Rule requires covered entities, including health care providers, to provide individuals access to their protected health information upon request, with previously permissible reasonable, cost-based fees now limited.)