Once your child turns 18, you cannot get access to their (health and school) records unless they sign a directive or release.
Does anyone have a link (or willing to send me) or post a free sample release for Student Records and Health care?
I am in California, but wiling to use (and edit) a document from another state.
And this is a reminder to get these documents signed before your child leaves for school.
If you don’t have these documents signed by your son or daughter, then you will not be able to speak on their behalf if they are seriously hurt and need care.
I agree with you about the importance of this matter, but I don’t know if creating and having your child sign a generic release will be effective for health care providers. My experience has been that every health-care organization (e.g., huge clinic where our doctor works, specific dentists’ office, mental-health therapists’ office) requires patients to sign its own forms.
Physician here. Two separate issues. Your adult child giving you permission to see their health care records is one. This is not necessary for them to receive care and it may not be desired by them. They can allow you access to any information at each place they visit, just as you can authorize your spouse or anyone else to learn your medical information when you visit a physician.
The other issue is a form giving someone permission to allow tests and treatment plus make decisions if one is unable to- a health care directive. This is a good thing for everyone to have so if one is unable to give the okay for treatment someone else can. This would be the durable power of attorney for health care. The other health care form is the living will health care directive. This form states which procedures one would allow. CPR, ventilators, tube feedings, organ donation and the like would fall into this category.
Time to give privacy to your adult child and not insist you be allowed to see their medical records. You do not need to know if they acquire an infection from behaviors et al. They may still be on your health insurance plan and/or you are paying any medical care costs but you do not have the right to their medical record information.
Time for them to sign forms giving someone permission to make health care decisions if they are unable to and to decide “end of life” treatments. There are forms for these available. btw- make sure you and your spouse also do this. H and I list a third party- physician relative- in addition to each other if I remember correctly in case we would both be injured at the same time. Someone we trust to go with our wishes.
Remember to have them get any immunizations needed/recommended before they leave for college as well. Don’t forget dental and eye exams. Give them a list of past and current ones. Also give them a list of any significant illnesses and surgery they may not be aware of. Now is a good time to make a family health history for them. Things such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and other diagnoses you get asked about when you visit the doctor for the first time.
But I think the point is that if there is an emergency (as in the article linked), and you, the parent, are 300 miles away, and the student is unconscious or otherwise unable to give permission, it would be nice if the medical personnel would talk to you on the phone to let you know what’s going on.
That’s where the health care directive comes in. You get permission when your child can’t grant it, as in this scenario. Otherwise there is no reason you should be allowed to access their records. None of your business if they are on birth control, getting drugs for an STD et al. Brings up the point that perhaps a mini version of the document should be in a wallet along with ID.
I don’t understand.
If your child has an emergency that requires care, or if he/ she is incapacitated and cannot make medical decisions , don’t the authorities/ hospital contact the parents even if the child does not have the health care directives or has given the parents medical power of attorney?
Does age matter?
Speaking from the POV of the adult child, wis is correct (of course!) and I agree completely.
When I turned 18, I did the health care directive and when I was taken to the ER (more than once), they called the emergency contact (my parents) which was in a card in my wallet.
There is no reason, IMO, to have full access to a child’s records unless s/he wants it that way. I’m in my mid-20s and have recently decided to sign full HIPAA releases for my spouse and parents because I’m battling multiple health issues (and my parents know everything I do anyway so it’s not a big deal).
Who is responsible for the medical bills? The policy holder or the student? Are the parents expected to pay a medical bill and sort out billing errors without asking what it is for?