440.125  Medical records and reports; identifying information in employee medical bills; confidentiality.--

(1)  Any medical records and medical reports of an injured employee and any information identifying an injured employee in medical bills which are provided to the Division of Workers' Compensation of the Department of Labor and Employment Security pursuant to s. 440.13 are confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution, except as otherwise provided by this chapter.

(2)  The Legislature finds that it is a public necessity that an injured employee's medical records and medical reports and information identifying the employee in medical bills held by the Division of Workers' Compensation pursuant to s. 440.13 be confidential and exempt from the public records law. Public access to such information is an invasion of the injured employee's right to privacy in that personal, sensitive information would be revealed, and public knowledge of such information could lead to discrimination against the employee by coworkers and others. Additionally, there is little utility in providing public access to such information in that the effectiveness and efficiency of the workers' compensation program can be otherwise adequately monitored and evaluated.