Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First time going through this process. Veteran parents - did you have a medial power of attorney done before you dc went to college? Any other legal matters that should be taken care of before my dc goes to college in the fall? Also, DC will not have a car at school-should I take DC off auto insurance during school months (need to save $ wherever we can).

ABSOLUTELY get a medical power of attorney!! We did this at school via a form we signed. We did not use an attorney. You can also download a form from one of those free law sites. I have it in my files, and DC has a copy at school.

FACT: A friend's child got into a terrible car accident freshman year, was in a coma. Dad was attorney so they had medical power of attorney. If they hadn't had that document, the parents would have had no say in their child's treatment.

GET IT!! I'm doing it for all of our children before freshman year. God-willing you will never need it. I learned about this on DCUM from another parent who didn't have one and their child was knocked out playing a sport at college and was in a coma. They had to go to court to get control over their child's medical treatment. Without the document, the doctors would have had complete control over their child's treatment.

There's no harm in getting a durable power of attorney, but let's not scare people and overstate things.

My sister was in a medically induced coma in a local hospital, and we were able to get info from doctors and nurses and make decisions (no more of X meds, let's try to wake her up, let's hold off on the tracheotomy, etc.). Her husband was MIA, and I was essentially acting as the decisionmaker.

Understand, PP, that the doctors and nurses chose to include you in these decisions, but did not legally need to.

Yes, I'm actually a lawyer, so I get it.

I just don't see the need to panic parents about this. Do you really believe that a hospital will keep info from parents of an unconscious 19 year old child? Can you imagine the lawsuits?

Sure, line up the paperwork. But let's not scare people.

http://ohalllaw.com/2013/05/durable-power-of-attorney/

You must not be a very good lawyer if you don't understand this issue. Even when I take my 18 year old to the doctor, my son has to give permission for me to talk with them.. I cannot see his college grades without permission from him. Hospitals and Doctor's take HIPPA really seriously from the smallest to largest issue.

I promise you that if your 18 year old college kid is unconscious in a hospital the doctors most certainly will allow you to see the kid and most certainly will talk to you.

Here's why most parents want the medical release: so they can find out if Suzy goes to the health center to get the pill or is treated for an STD. It's all for medical records access.

Do you really think doctors will keep you from your 18 year old unconscious kid in a hospital?

By all means get the medical release available at all colleges that cover the health center if you plan on requesting medical info behind your kid's back (otherwise, why wouldn't you just ask the kid to share the info if there's an issue?). And get a medical power of attorney in case you anticipate having to make decisions for an incapacitated kid...although you could also get a lawyer involved in that scenario to block a hospital taking your kid off life support.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First time going through this process. Veteran parents - did you have a medial power of attorney done before you dc went to college? Any other legal matters that should be taken care of before my dc goes to college in the fall? Also, DC will not have a car at school-should I take DC off auto insurance during school months (need to save $ wherever we can).

ABSOLUTELY get a medical power of attorney!! We did this at school via a form we signed. We did not use an attorney. You can also download a form from one of those free law sites. I have it in my files, and DC has a copy at school.

FACT: A friend's child got into a terrible car accident freshman year, was in a coma. Dad was attorney so they had medical power of attorney. If they hadn't had that document, the parents would have had no say in their child's treatment.

GET IT!! I'm doing it for all of our children before freshman year. God-willing you will never need it. I learned about this on DCUM from another parent who didn't have one and their child was knocked out playing a sport at college and was in a coma. They had to go to court to get control over their child's medical treatment. Without the document, the doctors would have had complete control over their child's treatment.

There's no harm in getting a durable power of attorney, but let's not scare people and overstate things.

My sister was in a medically induced coma in a local hospital, and we were able to get info from doctors and nurses and make decisions (no more of X meds, let's try to wake her up, let's hold off on the tracheotomy, etc.). Her husband was MIA, and I was essentially acting as the decisionmaker.

Understand, PP, that the doctors and nurses chose to include you in these decisions, but did not legally need to.

Yes, I'm actually a lawyer, so I get it.

I just don't see the need to panic parents about this. Do you really believe that a hospital will keep info from parents of an unconscious 19 year old child? Can you imagine the lawsuits?

Sure, line up the paperwork. But let's not scare people.

http://ohalllaw.com/2013/05/durable-power-of-attorney/

You must not be a very good lawyer if you don't understand this issue. Even when I take my 18 year old to the doctor, my son has to give permission for me to talk with them.. I cannot see his college grades without permission from him. Hospitals and Doctor's take HIPPA really seriously from the smallest to largest issue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First time going through this process. Veteran parents - did you have a medial power of attorney done before you dc went to college? Any other legal matters that should be taken care of before my dc goes to college in the fall? Also, DC will not have a car at school-should I take DC off auto insurance during school months (need to save $ wherever we can).

ABSOLUTELY get a medical power of attorney!! We did this at school via a form we signed. We did not use an attorney. You can also download a form from one of those free law sites. I have it in my files, and DC has a copy at school.

FACT: A friend's child got into a terrible car accident freshman year, was in a coma. Dad was attorney so they had medical power of attorney. If they hadn't had that document, the parents would have had no say in their child's treatment.

GET IT!! I'm doing it for all of our children before freshman year. God-willing you will never need it. I learned about this on DCUM from another parent who didn't have one and their child was knocked out playing a sport at college and was in a coma. They had to go to court to get control over their child's medical treatment. Without the document, the doctors would have had complete control over their child's treatment.

There's no harm in getting a durable power of attorney, but let's not scare people and overstate things.

My sister was in a medically induced coma in a local hospital, and we were able to get info from doctors and nurses and make decisions (no more of X meds, let's try to wake her up, let's hold off on the tracheotomy, etc.). Her husband was MIA, and I was essentially acting as the decisionmaker.

Understand, PP, that the doctors and nurses chose to include you in these decisions, but did not legally need to.

Yes, I'm actually a lawyer, so I get it.

I just don't see the need to panic parents about this. Do you really believe that a hospital will keep info from parents of an unconscious 19 year old child? Can you imagine the lawsuits?

Sure, line up the paperwork. But let's not scare people.

PP here. Yes, I can. I was there, in the hospital, with a friend and friend's DC. There is an absolute defense available to the hospital and each treating health care licensee. It would never make it to trial and would be dismissed on motion. It's in HIPAA. Read the statute.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First time going through this process. Veteran parents - did you have a medial power of attorney done before you dc went to college? Any other legal matters that should be taken care of before my dc goes to college in the fall? Also, DC will not have a car at school-should I take DC off auto insurance during school months (need to save $ wherever we can).

ABSOLUTELY get a medical power of attorney!! We did this at school via a form we signed. We did not use an attorney. You can also download a form from one of those free law sites. I have it in my files, and DC has a copy at school.

FACT: A friend's child got into a terrible car accident freshman year, was in a coma. Dad was attorney so they had medical power of attorney. If they hadn't had that document, the parents would have had no say in their child's treatment.

GET IT!! I'm doing it for all of our children before freshman year. God-willing you will never need it. I learned about this on DCUM from another parent who didn't have one and their child was knocked out playing a sport at college and was in a coma. They had to go to court to get control over their child's medical treatment. Without the document, the doctors would have had complete control over their child's treatment.

There's no harm in getting a durable power of attorney, but let's not scare people and overstate things.

My sister was in a medically induced coma in a local hospital, and we were able to get info from doctors and nurses and make decisions (no more of X meds, let's try to wake her up, let's hold off on the tracheotomy, etc.). Her husband was MIA, and I was essentially acting as the decisionmaker.

Understand, PP, that the doctors and nurses chose to include you in these decisions, but did not legally need to.

Yes, I'm actually a lawyer, so I get it.

I just don't see the need to panic parents about this. Do you really believe that a hospital will keep info from parents of an unconscious 19 year old child? Can you imagine the lawsuits?

Sure, line up the paperwork. But let's not scare people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First time going through this process. Veteran parents - did you have a medial power of attorney done before you dc went to college? Any other legal matters that should be taken care of before my dc goes to college in the fall? Also, DC will not have a car at school-should I take DC off auto insurance during school months (need to save $ wherever we can).

ABSOLUTELY get a medical power of attorney!! We did this at school via a form we signed. We did not use an attorney. You can also download a form from one of those free law sites. I have it in my files, and DC has a copy at school.

FACT: A friend's child got into a terrible car accident freshman year, was in a coma. Dad was attorney so they had medical power of attorney. If they hadn't had that document, the parents would have had no say in their child's treatment.

GET IT!! I'm doing it for all of our children before freshman year. God-willing you will never need it. I learned about this on DCUM from another parent who didn't have one and their child was knocked out playing a sport at college and was in a coma. They had to go to court to get control over their child's medical treatment. Without the document, the doctors would have had complete control over their child's treatment.

There's no harm in getting a durable power of attorney, but let's not scare people and overstate things.

My sister was in a medically induced coma in a local hospital, and we were able to get info from doctors and nurses and make decisions (no more of X meds, let's try to wake her up, let's hold off on the tracheotomy, etc.). Her husband was MIA, and I was essentially acting as the decisionmaker.

Understand, PP, that the doctors and nurses chose to include you in these decisions, but did not legally need to.