Change of Medical Guarantor

[Dawn]

My almost 19 year old no longer lives with us and has his own medical insurance.  The medical provider he must use is also the same provider he used when we were responsible for his care and his insurance. 

He already has a file started with either my husband's or my name as guarantor.  When he went to the doctor last week, I told him to make sure they changed those records, but I can't be assured that happened.  Do I need to send them a letter asking them to remove our names as guarantor from his records in case he didn't accomplish that, or would they assume that because he was over 18 and has his own insurance that the information they have is outdated?

[fused]

I wouldn't assume anything when it comes to a doctor's office, we do make mistakes. Also, just because a kid is no longer a minor doesn't mean your guarantor status disappears. In the office I work for we would require your 19 year old to make the changes in person. Of course it's a better idea if you come along for the ride so you know the changes have been made correctly.  

Message Edited by fused on 11-20-2007 02:38 PM

[Anonymous]

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fused wrote:

I wouldn't assume anything when it comes to a doctor's office, we do make mistakes. Also, just because a kid is no longer a minor doesn't mean your guarantor status disappears. In the office I work for we would require your 19 year old to make the changes in person. Of course it's a better idea if you come along for the ride so you know the changes have been made correctly.  

Message Edited by fused on 11-20-2007 02:38 PM

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dr. hugh fused? and promoting polynesian ham loaf? gues big spam bought you that amex centurion.

[Dawn]

Darn!  I tried to get him to let me go with him and he was insistent that he didn't want me to go.   I emphasized that he needed to make sure our name(s) was(were) removed, but his philosophy was that if they had his new insurance card, that was all the information they needed. 

Since he had to call me to find out what he was supposed to do once he set foot inside the medical building, something tells me that he did not take care of this.  I will have to torture him by asking questions when he comes for dinner on Thursday.

[fused]

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denbar2003 wrote:

Darn!  I tried to get him to let me go with him and he was insistent that he didn't want me to go.   I emphasized that he needed to make sure our name(s) was(were) removed, but his philosophy was that if they had his new insurance card, that was all the information they needed. 

Since he had to call me to find out what he was supposed to do once he set foot inside the medical building, something tells me that he did not take care of this.  I will have to torture him by asking questions when he comes for dinner on Thursday.

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What I said is common-place with the office I work for and some of the others I communicate with. There are reasons I said a guarantor doesn't just disappear with the most common being a 19 year old who is very sick, maybe even disabled and cannot take care of themselves, or their college students and not employed. Tell your 19 year old to just listen and do as they're told. I guess you could try and call his doctor's office and do it yourself. Assuming you are still the guarantor, this would not be a HIPAA violation. If they say they cannot talk to you about your 19 year old, this would indicate a change has been made, but this is highly unlikely.

[fused]

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dnm45227 wrote:

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fused wrote:

I wouldn't assume anything when it comes to a doctor's office, we do make mistakes. Also, just because a kid is no longer a minor doesn't mean your guarantor status disappears. In the office I work for we would require your 19 year old to make the changes in person. Of course it's a better idea if you come along for the ride so you know the changes have been made correctly.  

Message Edited by fused on 11-20-2007 02:38 PM

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dr. hugh fused? and promoting polynesian ham loaf? gues big spam bought you that amex centurion.

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No centurion here but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night and enjoyed my Polynesian ham loaf.