DH can no longer handle anything to do with his medical insurance and claims so I handle all of them to make sure they are correct, etc. All of his health insurance providers (medical, dental, eye) require that he sign a release of information form annually which gives them permission to talk to me. I have offered to provide the insurance companies with the dpoa but they insist on having a signed roi. Although at this stage he can still sign his name (doesn't know what he's signing), I am trying to find a way that we no longer have to provide a roi annually because I am anticipating that in the future he will no longer be able to sign. How have you handled this situation?
Medicare has their own POA form that must be completed before they will release information to anyone but the individual. Perhaps your husband's providers have a similar form that can be completed only once?
Marilyn, the forms expire annually requiring a new form to be signed. Apparently this is in compliance with the HIPPA laws. Thanks for the info on medicare - DH become eligible next month.
I think the question I would ask the insurance companies is--what to do when someone is no longer mentally competent? There is a difference between someone who is physically incapacitated and can't sign vs. someone who doesn't know what they are signing. If the latter is the case, I don't think the person is considered legally competent to sign anyway. They must have something set up for that situation.
I have poa, but hb can physically sign his name--sometimes--but doesn't understand. Mon. we visited GP and got flu shots. Had to sign a paper for those. Where I showed him to write his name, he printed, "sign name here." I signed his name w/mine under it with poa. Good enough for them. Don't plan to ask him to sign any more papers.