President Trump’s health team is moving to stop hospitals and software companies from blocking access to your medical records. The policy targets the long-running practice of denying or dragging out patient requests, even when families have proper permission.

The backdrop is simple. Congress passed a patient-data law during the Obama years, and the Trump administration later set rules to enforce it. But the rules went largely ignored, while big systems leaned on confusion and bureaucracy to keep a lock on your files.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that ends now. He laid out the principle in plain language and made clear who decides.

“I want to ask you a question about your healthcare data. Should you be able to decide who accesses it? Should you be able to view it on your phone?

“Or should healthcare companies be able to block you from sharing it with trusted parties that you designate?”

Kennedy tied the fix directly to the prior Trump rules—and to the years of non-enforcement that followed.

“Well, that’s what’s been happening. It’s called, ‘Information Blocking.’ And it’s been illegal ever since President Trump passed the CURES Act rules in 2020. Until now, HHS has never enforced this regulation; I know this because we still receive complaints about information blocking today. This is wrong, and it’s illegal. This is 2025, nearly 10 years after Congress passed the CURES Act. Patients should be able to access their healthcare information on their phones or computers. They should be able to share that information with their doctors, their hospitals, researchers of their choice and trusted relatives. After all, it’s your data and you should be in control of your information. And you will be under the new HHS.”

The promise is tougher oversight with teeth. HHS says violators will face steep fines and can be kicked out of federal programs. Patients are urged to report stonewalling through the official portal so watchdogs can act.

“No one, not your doctor, not your hospital, not the electronic healthcare record companies, will be able to cordon off your information for their own profit. If they do, we want you to report them through the ‘Report Information Blocking Portal’ on the healthit.gov website. I promise you, our Office of Inspector General will take action. Any healthcare provider, electronic health record vendor, or data network that blocks information could face millions of dollars in penalties in addition to removal from government programs.”

For years, even Biden’s own health chief admitted the scope of the problem. He publicly acknowledged that most complaints were about providers and that patients were the ones suffering.

“That is not the kind of customer experience any of us should expect, certainly not in the 21st century, from our healthcare system,” he said. “Put simply, he said, closing the enforcement gap is a ‘top HHS priority, and we are working hard on this issue right now.’”

Kennedy also stressed why this matters in an emergency, when seconds count and full history can save lives.

“I’ll just say one more thing about why this is important. When a patient visits an emergency room, doctors need to access that patient’s medical history. They need to know about medications, blood types, allergies, and prior diagnoses. Otherwise, how can they provide the right care. Information technology should make this easy: you just give permission and your doctor has all the necessary information at his or her fingertips. We at the new HHS have zero tolerance for any companies that interfere with your right to access your health information and your right to share your health information with trusted parties of your choosing. Your health data is your data and we’re going to make sure that it serves you. The Office of Inspector General and our Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy will be sending a joint alert letter informing appropriate stakeholders that this policy is effective immediately. Thank you, and stay well.”

This approach lines up with Trump’s record: set clear rules that put citizens first, then enforce them so powerful interests can’t dodge accountability. For families juggling multiple doctors—or those choosing non-traditional providers—real access isn’t a luxury. It’s freedom, safety, and control.

Legacy outlets may ignore it, and the bureaucracy may grumble. But if HHS follows through, patients will finally own their data, doctors will treat faster, and Big Health’s gatekeepers will lose their favorite excuse. That’s a win for transparency, a win for choice, and a clear conservative victory for everyday Americans.