If you have a student that will be headed off to college later this year, or you already have one in college, living away from home, this blog is for you. When you’re making the “to do list” before sending your child away you need to think beyond the dorm room essentials, there are important documents that are needed.

Before every college student arrives at campus, they should have the following documents, a medical power of attorney and a HIPAA release for college students, among others — in place. By having these documents in place, you will be able to get information should a medical emergency take place.

Make Sure You and Your College Student Fill Out These Forms

For the three forms noted below, parents should keep the original and the student should have copies. Your student should let their roommate, or another close student, know where these copies are in case of an emergency. Additionally, you may want to see if a copy of these can be included in the schools medical records.

If your student is going to school out-of-state school, it is even more important that a copy of these documents be with them, and their college or university.

1. HIPAA Form

Have you ever tried to find out how a loved one was doing over the phone? You know it is just about impossible to get a nurse or doctor to speak to you if you are not authorized by your loved one to receive that information. This is due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

By having this document in place before an emergency, you will be able to cut through the red tape of a HIPAA form. Having a signed HIPPA form lets your college student designate specific family members, and possibly friends, be able to receive updates on medical situations should an emergency take place.

The HIPAA form becomes even more important if your child is living far away, or even out of state, and is involved in an accident. In this situation, even as their parent, you probably won’t be able to get any information over the phone without this completed form.

2. Medical Power of Attorney

A healthcare power of attorney is a legal document which names you, the parent, as a medical advocate for your college student. Should your child become medically incapacitated, you will be able to make medical decisions on their behalf. A healthcare power of attorney makes you the point of contact and decision maker so you can decide the best course of action or treatment with your child’s doctors.

If you don’t have a healthcare power of attorney in place, the doctors will make the decisions about your child’s care. We are not saying that this is a bad thing, as a doctor’s primary responsibility to a patient is to keep them alive. However, a provider may not try to pursue a risky course of treatment because by doing so they are opening themselves up to the risk of exposure to liability.

3. Durable Power of Attorney

The medical power of attorney form is solely for health care decisions should your child be medically incapacitated. A durable power of attorney will cover the financial and legal decisions.

A durable power of attorney allows your college student to give you the authority to make financial and legal decisions on their behalf. By having this you will be able to make financial transactions such as managing bank accounts, paying bills, filling taxes, breaking a lease, and many other things on their behalf.

Let a Reputable Attorney Help

Heading off to college brings about changes for both the parents and their children. By having these documents in place, you will be ahead of the curve in case of an emergency. Contact our office and let Leslie Craft help you put these essential documents in place before you let your child leave for college.