HB1378

As a parent who is legally responsible for my children, I feel that in order to fulfill my role as their parent and guardian that I, and all parents, should have access to our children's medical records until they are no longer minors in the eyes of the court. Especially when as parents, we are also responsible for insurance and payment of most, if not all, doctor's visits. I support HB1378 for these reasons.

It is absurd to NOT give parents full access to their child's medical records, electronic portals and other records. What possible purpose would schools have to want to keep secrets about their students from parents? One can only guess that educators want the power to influence the students as to their biases without the knowledge of parents. Parents must always have more rights over students than government run schools. Parents care more about their children while students are pawns of school unions.

We didn’t have EMRs when I was a child. My best friend’s mom didn’t believe in antibiotics so I ended up getting strep throat every month for a whole school year from my friend’s little sister My father thought I was just being truant and he wasted court time and attorney funds trying to fight with my mom about it. It would have been so helpful if he could have clicked into a computer system to see what was happening. He could have spent time and effort trying to convince my friend’s mom to get her real medical care instead of dosing her with oregano oil or whatever she was doing that wasn’t working.

I suport HB1378

Please support this important bill

Parents protect child's best health. Medical professionals commiting malpractice and acting against patient's interests to maximize their profits is not a rare occurrence. Overbilling and charging for services not provided is common. I experienced it myself. Parents should see what is going on in medical records. Please support this bill.

This is common sense. Only parents should have the rights to their children’s records.

Yes! All parents should have full access not only to their child's medical records, but to their electronic portals and records until the age of 18.

Teenagers lie about the strangest things. They worry their parents will be angry about irrelevant events. They don't fully understand what is and what is not dangerous when it comes to many health choices. They can be exceptionally irrational and lack a fully formed brain to make important, life changing decisions. This is why they can't get tattoos or drink. That being said, parents are responsible for keeping their children safe. They can't do that for the health without the relevant data. Taking away a parent's ability to check in on their child's health leaves them in the dark and unable to keep their children safe.

It’s sad that this has to even be debated, children belong to their parents

Parents need access to their children's medical records.

Aida Cerundolo, M.D. SUPPORT HB 1378 I am a board-certified emergency medicine physician with over twenty years of experience treating children and adults, and I SUPPORT HB 1378. First and foremost, under the HIPAA privacy rule, covered entities cannot limit a parent’s access to their minor child’s medical records beyond any existing limitations in applicable law.* Therefore, healthcare systems limiting parental access to minor children’s electronic medical records – limitations that are not specifically permitted under existing New Hampshire law – are committing civil rights violations. This is because parents have a vested interest in the health and well-being of their children. There are few decisions as impactful to a minor child’s welfare as medical decisions. It is in a child’s best interest to require parental consent for nonemergent medical and surgical treatments. Furthermore, parents need access to their children’s medical records in order to provide true informed consent. New Hampshire law recognizes that minors are different from adults. For example, minors are considered to lack capacity to enter into legal contracts. The law recognizes that in matters involving contractual obligations, children do not have the maturity to navigate complex decisions. This makes sense because the frontal cortex, the part of the brain that determines personality and executive function, is underdeveloped until the mid-twenties, limiting a child’s ability to make informed decisions. It is therefore impossible to assume that children can universally provide informed consent for decisions that impact their own health. Additionally, minors cannot consent to the transfer of their own records. Parents shielded from their children’s medical records are expected to give consent for record transfer without access to the records themselves, or possibly even understanding why the transfer is necessary. Finally, parental access to children’s medical records is protective against medical error. A Johns Hopkins study suggests that medical error is the third leading cause of death in the U.S.* On multiple occasions my patients and their family members have corrected mistakes within a medical record, and I have had to correct errors in my own record. The potential for error increases without a parent’s oversight to confirm accuracy. Please help parents support their children’s health and well-being by supporting HB 1378. * https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/ocr-letter-hipaa-privacy-rule-and-parental-access-to-minor-childrens-medical-records.pdf *Makary MA, Daniel M. Medical error-the third leading cause of death in the US. BMJ. 2016 May 3;353:i2139. doi: 10.1136/bmj.i2139. PMID: 27143499.

As a parent that has the important task of making medical decisions for my minor children, it is critical that I have access to all of their medical records. Decisions cannot be made without having all of their medical records. More importantly, if my child is having a medical or mental health issue it is critical I have access to ALL the information so I am aware of all the variables at play. As a parent I know my child best, I see them every day, and I know when something is off. Withholding medical information degrades my ability to make important connections that include potential life threatening medical conditions and issues that are building that could lead to immediate or chronic health conditions. There is no one that is more invested in their children's health then their parents.

Please support this bill allowing for all parents to have full access to their child's medical records and electronic portals until they reach the age of 18. Given that this bill passed both chambers last year before falling victim to political games, it should now be passed into law without further delay. Thank you.

Parents, not schools, governments, medical providers or anyone else, are rightfully the primary guardians of their own children.

All parents should have access to electronic portals and records of their children’s medical records until 18. The Senate should be ashamed of last year's stalling tactics to defeat this necessary bill. Amending the bill actually destroyed its purpose. I urge you to vote for HB 1378. Russ Payne

Parents should have access to medical records of their underage children.

Parents should have these rights to protect their minor children. Until they are adults, there should be no room for other adults to keep important information from parents or spend time alone with them. It’s not about safety if the people most invested in their safety are being told to step out of the room when they are having a physical exam or they are being put in uncomfortable positions to share information with adults they don’t know. And just because those adults have gone to college and received a degree, it doesn’t mean they are safe or that they align with the way a parent chooses to raise their children. As someone who was violated by a doctor at the age of 16, I am appalled that this is even considered safe for children. Do better!