Patient access to health records.

(1) Existing law generally governs a patient's access to his or her health records. Existing law requires a health care provider to provide any patient, former patient, or the representative of a patient or former patient a copy, at no charge, of the relevant portion of the patient's health records upon presenting to the health care provider a written request and proof that the health records are needed to support an appeal regarding eligibility for specified public benefit programs. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions by certain health care providers an infraction.