Now more than ever, during COVID-19, we need to have access to our student’s health and financial records. Many parents do not realize that once their child attains the age of 18 years old, they no longer have legal access to their child’s medical records or financial information.

In order to gain access to this valuable information so that you may care for your adult child in a time of crisis, you will need the following documents:

• Health Care Proxy is a document signed by your adult child, authorizing you to make medical decisions for your child, in the event your child cannot make the decisions for themselves due to illness.
• HIPAA Release is a release signed by your adult child under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) which requires medical providers to have a patient’s written authorization to release medical information to someone other than the patient, such releasing an adult child’s records to a parent.
• Durable Power of Attorney is a document signed by your adult child, authorizing you to make financial decisions for your child, including accessing report cards, college invoices, bank accounts, and paying your child’s bills.