Posted on 07/26/2002 1:22:28 PM PDT by chance33_98
Huntsville Teens Can Deny Parents Access to Their Medical Records
Melissa Stephens Reports, 7/23/02
There's probably a lot you don't know about your teenager, and one of those things could be his or her medical records.
An Alabama State Law says that once a child turns 14, that child's medical treatment can be made confidential, even to parents.
Though many people don't seem to know about it, the law has been around for a while.
13-year-old Grant Mattix is growing up fast, according to his mom, Loretta, but he still depends on his mom for tickets to ride the rides at Southern Adventure, and he always has to tell her where he's going.
Grant doesn't know that when he turns 14 in a few weeks, he won't have to tell his parents anything about his medical treatment.
"He's too young to be making that kind of decision medically," says Loretta.
Grant may be young, but according to Alabama state law, when a child turns 14, he or she has the right to make their medical records private, even to their parents.
Dr. Prem Gulati, at Mission Square Medical Center, says he has had parents call wanting their teenager's medical information, so he called the Medical Society of the State of Alabama.
"I was told from the attorney from there that you don't have to disclose information to the parent or anyone else without permission from the teenager," says Gulati.
Doctors do have to get the parents' permission to see the child if the parents' medical insurance is being used, but a doctor is within the law to keep the doctor-patient confidentiality, if that's what the teen wants.
In most cases a 14-year-old is still using the parents' insurance, and that makes it pretty hard to keep any medical treatment secret from mom and dad.
Loretta Mattix still thinks the law's a bad idea.
"Well, he's only 14. I raised him, and I should be the one and his father should be the one to make medical decisions in his life now," says Mattix.
Grant doesn't seem interested in the added responsibility. "I wouldn't do it, 'cause I don't know what kind of medicines to get and stuff."
The best advice is to talk to your children about this law, and about the importance of talking to their parents about their health.
I find it incredible that this talks about a young boy turning 14. We all know who this is directed at and it isn't boys. It's that 14 year old girl that wants unrestricted access to birth control and abortions that this is focused on. This is a frontal assault on the rights of parents. If ever there were a time when home schooling made sense, this is the time.
With the quazi medical facilities and services provided on school campuses these days, the flawed indoctrinations, and now the denial of parental notifications et al, it's become all but a blatant crime to send your kids to public schools.
For the children...
The only reason this law is on the books is so a child can have an abortion without their parents finding out. There's no other logical (or even illogical) reason for it.
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