Pa. House Approves Bill on Patient Test Results

Legislation would improve communication between patients, providers

April 08, 2025

The Pennsylvania House on Monday unanimously approved a bill that would simplify and improve communication of test results to patients.

House Bill 409, sponsored by Bridget Kosierowski (D-Lackawanna), changes existing requirements related to the communication of test results to patients following diagnostic imaging services.

Ahead of the vote, HAP wrote a letter of support, noting the ways it clarifies and simplifies the communication of test outcomes to patients. Importantly, the bill would:

• Remove ambiguous language related to notifying patients about “significant abnormalities.”
• Provide patients notice at the time of service that they will be receiving their test results in their electronic health record or that they can ask the provider to mail the results to them.
• Allow providers to hold some potentially life-altering test results for one full business day prior to posting to a patient’s electronic health record to allow for personal contact with the patient.

The legislation moves to the Senate for consideration. See our letter online.

In other business, the House Insurance Committee today advanced HAP-supported legislation (House Bill 433) to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for diagnostic imaging related to breast cancer. While mammograms for screening are typically accessible through insurance plans, the cost sharing associated with necessary advanced imaging to confirm a diagnosis—such as an ultrasound or MRI—may act as a deterrent to care.

The bill moves to the full House for consideration.

For additional information, contact Arielle Chortanoff, HAP’s vice president, state advocacy, or Sarah Lawver, senior director, state advocacy.