The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, better known as HIPAA, and even better known as the form you sign at the doctor’s office protecting your medical privacy, can also keep you from knowing important medical information about your child. If you have a child who has turned 18 which is considered a legal adult, neither the EWTF nor medical providers (including hospital emergency rooms!) can share medical information about your child unless your child has signed a HIPAA release form granting permission for their medical information to be shared with you even if your child still lives with you and is covered by your health insurance. That means, that if your child has been in an accident and is transported to the hospital, that hospital cannot give you any information on the condition of your child. What’s more, if your child has not signed a medical power of attorney form, you as the parent cannot make any medical decisions about your child, should decisions be needed.
There are websites that offer legal services providing HIPAA release forms (for the release of medical information) and medical power of attorney forms (to grant permission for you as the parent to make medical decisions on your child’s behalf). Mama Bear Legal Forms is an easy-to-use site that offers all legal forms a young adult may need. You could also search online for your state’s forms. Be sure to have the forms accessible—filed away at home and even scanned and saved to your smartphone—in the event you may need to present them.
Hopefully you will never need these forms, but in the event of an emergency you will be prepared.