@ question re power of attorney

[downtoearth]

I don't know the legality of it, but I always leave our health insurance card and a note (notorized when we went out of country once) that the caregivers could make decisions on health of the child on our behalf.

We have had my ILs take a kid to the hospital without any of that (we were in town, nearby, but they decided to just go to the hospital instead of calling us - don't know why) and the hospital was still able to figure out how to bill us and our insurance even without anything on file except our names and address.

[frlcb]

Our dr has a general form you fill out giving permission to specific people to bring in our kids. They can check and see - but we also have a notarized letter giving permission to have them taken to the dr/hospital, we always leave that. Also make sure you have their insurance cards.

[ijack]

We also leave the insurance info and a letter authorizing them to make healthcare decisions. We've never had it notarized though.

[penguingrrl]

I would definitely get a notarized letter giving permission to authorize medical care. I babysat for my mom's friend's kids for two weeks at one point and their oldest (who was 16 at the time) had a somewhat routine specialists appointment while they were away. The doctor wouldn't see her because I took her instead of her parents and the letter giving permission wasn't notarized. I suspect it would normally be no big deal, but in case you come across someone who is a stickler it's better to have more than you need.

[MrsAxilla]

Ditto everyone else. I don't believe the letter has to be notorized, but it never hurts to do it anyway.

[twotrue]

If the kids will be going to a summer school/day care at all during the day make sure the parents list you as emergency contacts and give permission for you to pick up/drop off each day. Make sure the school has the best number to reach you.

[arch01]

We leave a notarized temporary custody form that allows for my mom to make medical care decisions in our absence. We leave it when we go out of the country along with insurance cards and a list with the pedi's names/addresses, the urgent care associated with the pedi office, etc.