Page 19 - University of California at Los Angeles Insider

At any time a college is allowed under FERPA to contact parents of students under the age of 21 who violate
laws or policies relating to drug possession or underage drinking, and schools are permitted to disclose information in an emergency if it’s deemed necessary to protect the health and safety of the student or other individuals.
HIPAA
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects the privacy of medical records. As soon
as children turn 18, parents no longer have access to their medical information even if they’re still covered by the family health insurance policy.
This means that your student’s visits
to health providers and hospitals off campus — including the family doctor back home — are confidential. If there is an accident or health emergency and your student is hospitalized, medical personnel will not be able to consult with you without your student’s consent.
There’s a simple form your student can complete which permits health-care providers to share information with
you or include you in conversations. Generic HIPAA authorization forms can be found online; your doctor’s office may have one as well. If your student goes to school out of state, it is a good idea to fill one out both for that state and your home state. These forms do not need to be notarized. You and your student should both keep paper copies and store scans on your computer or smartphone.
EMERGENCY ROOM EXCEPTIONS:
The safety and care of a patient trumps HIPAA, so in the E.R., if a patient is unable to communicate, doctors can use their own judgment about sharing information with family members who are present.
LEARN MORE
Learn more at www.hhs.gov/ hipaa/for-individuals/index. html, www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/ guid/fpco/ferpa/parents.html and by contacting your student’s college or university.
www.CollegiateParent.com
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