Medical power of attorney

Any idea on the need for medical power of attorney, durable power of attorney for MIDS.? I guess these are needed if parents were to access medical info in circumstances where MIDs cannot decide.

I cannot imagine why you would need one.

They grow up real fast after they take the Oath, and I am reasonably sure that you wouldn't be able to access their medical info being a civilian anyway.

txfwindian said:

Any idea on the need for medical power of attorney, durable power of attorney for MIDS.? I guess these are needed if parents were to access medical info in circumstances where MIDs cannot decide.

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See link below for military healthcare system patient rights. There is nothing to prevent a parent from having a MPOA if the AD member chooses to have a designated representative for those situations where he or she may be incapable of articulating their decision. If the mid is fully capable, they can always authorize release of information to a designated representative by speaking with their healthcare provider. HIPAA is taken very seriously, of course, and the mid is considered an emancipated adult.

Mids will also have completed a Record of Emergency Data, naming a next of kin, likely on I-Day.

I don’t know much more than that.

Thanks CaptMJ.. always resourceful and value add.

we never heard of one and never thought of it until we saw some parents on one of the parents FB groups talking about it.

txfwindian said:

Thanks CaptMJ.. always resourceful and value add.

we never heard of one and never thought of it until we saw some parents on one of the parents FB groups talking about it.

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Our AD members will have to chime in to let us know the current policies. Advanced Care Directives and Living Wills are encouraged, especially for deploying military members, but I don’t know whether they are required. My gut feel is they are still voluntary.

More info below. Military One Source is an official source.

We had them on both of our "children" when they went off to USMA and the other to college and NROTC. Until they got married, they wanted us to be able to act on their behalf or give input to insure their wishes were known for care or for end of life decisions, as well. We also had general POAs for financial decisions, etc.

USMAROTCFamily said:

We had them on both of our "children" when they went off to USMA and the other to college and NROTC. Until they got married, they wanted us to be able to act on their behalf or give input to insure their wishes were known for care or for end of life decisions, as well. We also had general POAs for financial decisions, etc.

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We did for our son (have it expiring at the end of 2022 after he graduates university and if he opts to extend it, he can decide. Will do for our DD going off to AF ROTC.

Many deploying service members have various of these instruments, giving a spouse or, if single, a parent or other responsible relative or adult, the power to make certain financial or other decisions if the service member is going to be away for some time. I always had a FPOA good for the cruise length when DH was deployed, in case I had to sell a car registered to him or do other financial business in his name. We always have current health directives. At this stage of our lives, we each have full POAs that activate if the other becomes incapacitated due to illness or injury, and can no longer make decisions, either temporary or permanent.

Naming vengeful or untrustworthy BF/GF, or casual roommates, as holders of a full POA with unlimited powers often does not end well. I would bet every veteran officer or senior enlisted leader who posts here has a few stories about Seaman/Airman/Private Gullible who returns from deployment to find the rent unpaid, car sold, personal goods missing and accounts cleared out. These days, with mobile banking and alerts, it’s easier to get real-time looks at account activity while away from home, as well as set up automatic payments, and deployment alerts with the financial institutions well-known for their service to the military.

This is always a part of pre-deployment briefings. The base legal office or resident JAG can advise and execute these. There is no particular military required format, as I recall. There are versions of these at various internet sources. When I was handling all my mom’s finances, we went to her state’s Department of Aging, downloaded various FPOA and health directives, worked through what she wanted, went to a FedEx store and signed it there for notary purposes.

FYI: When your DS/DD turns 18, they have to sign a release of medical info to their parents. All of your young adults, not just the one in a SA.
DD signed a HIPAA release & health-care proxy (while home on Xmas break) so DW & I could have conversations with the hospital staff if DD was unable to. While she was at the AFA, DD tried to have a will prepared by the legal staff who refused stating they only do that when the member is being deployed.

Wishful said:

FYI: When your DS/DD turns 18, they have to sign a release of medical info to their parents. All of your young adults, not just the one in a SA.
DD signed a HIPAA release & health-care proxy (while home on Xmas break) so DW & I could have conversations with the hospital staff if DD was unable to. While she was at the AFA, DD tried to have a will prepared by the legal staff who refused stating they only do that when the member is being deployed.

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Slight correction. They CAN sign a release of medical info to their parents. Not sure how many actually do this.

@OldRetSWO Yes that's what I meant thank you!

It's a scary thought - you get a phone call from a roommate/friend of your young adult. Your child was the passenger in an auto accident off campus. They were taken via ambulance to "one" of the Annapolis medical centers near them - there are six within 15 miles. You're not sure where to start. For hours on the ride there, you call USNA, every hospital/ the police, and the hospitals won't even tell you if you're young adult has been are admitted there or not - citing hipaa/ferpa and some other alphabet names for privacy laws. You appeal/ speak to administration - they reiterate their hands are tied. You remember you have find my iphone and "locate" your young adult at one of the Johns Hopkins facilities. He/ she/they don't answer or respond. You arrive at the hospital, you can see they are somewhere within 10 feet of you on one of the 21 floors above you perhaps. You appeal to everyone you can - they again won't tell you a thing. You start roaming around - they escort you off premises and warn you'll be trespassed/arrested if you don't leave.

Or, you get a notarized medical power of attorney and the living will/ proxy documents package, and are able to get updates, and if outlined, participate in their care decisions - you also have their decisions documented and can follow their wishes. this is an older thread, but one of the posters stated something like why would you need it. Hopefully you never will, but imagine being in the helpless position above when you could have avoided it.

We just had POA and HIPAA release made for our Firstie and Midsib. We want to be able to speak to Doctors in case of emergency and make financial decisions when our MID is deployed.

txfwindian said:

Any idea on the need for medical power of attorney, durable power of attorney for MIDS.? I guess these are needed if parents were to access medical info in circumstances where MIDs cannot decide.

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I would get them!! we have them on all 3 of our young adults/kids - it is important just in case - these would be used in an emergency situation not bc your young adult kid has a cold and you want to talk to the dr. my current MID has an injury, probably going to have to have surgery. I feel good about having these docs ready to go in case I need them.

Sadly there have been tragic cases where having POA would have reduced the trauma and access.

This revived thread is a reminder for me to discuss with our adult son. We as parents don’t need to be in his business. But if he can’t manage his business, we need to have a fall back plan. If not us, fine. But he needs to think it through.

I believe the young and virile tend to not plan for the worst. Nothing bad can happen. Sadly that has proven to not be true time and time again.

A conversation that all should have.

I never discussed MPOA with my parents while at school. As far as I know none of my friends did either. The topic has come up now that I have SWO friends deploying and pilot friends getting closer to the t-6.