Medical Records

[ikevin]

I have asked for 6 months for my son's medical records.  I have been
> denied at every turn.  My name is on my son's birth certificate.  When I
> finally discovered the doctor's name, (because the mother refused to tell
> me) I went to the doctor's office to fill out their paperwork and they
> still would not give me the medical records.  I showed them the adjusted
> birth certificate and it still was not good enough for them.  They said
> they had to check with their "superiors" and get back with me.  They never
> did get back with me.

[ocean]

Use the medical request form from this site. It is strongly worded and usually works. Re-send a copy of your driver's license and child's birth certificate. In the letter it offers to pay for the copies. Only once we had a doctor actually send us a bill for 10 cents a page but we were able to get records.

Do you carry the health insurance? Sometimes that has more weight with the office staff too.

Good luck!

[MixedBag]

Actually -- what does it say in the divorce decree -- ?  JOINT legal custody I hope?

Some (stupid) state laws might still be old -- look it up there too -- in the state that has jurisdiction and in the family code section.

And be aggressive -- like follow up every month.  Don't let it get cold, but don't become a pain in the butt either (like asking too often).  And follow up in WRITING -- not with phone calls that can't be proven that you made. 

[ikevin]

I don't carry the health insurance.  In this case, we never married.

[ocean]

Look on the child support/custody papers and see what is says about custody. Legal custody is different than physical custody and who has child. If you have anything that says joint legal than that will be an easier way to get you to give you the papers.
Medical is different than school. Under a federal law, any biological parent has a right to school records regardless of custody unless the court papers forbid you to get have that info which rarely happens.
Try the letter from here and follow up in writing "I sent you paperwork on xx date and still have not received my child's records. Please let me know if there is anything else you need and like I said in the first letter, I will pay for any copying costs for the records, just send me a statement."
If you still can not get them to comply, you can send your ex a request to send you the paperwork in writing "Please sign paperwork at dr xx so I have access to xx medical records. If I do not hear back from you by xx date, I will be forced to ask family court to make it a court order that both her parents have access to her records."

[MixedBag]

and IF you say you'll go to court, remember that when the other parent doesn't cooperate, YOU have no choice but to follow through.  Don't say all this without follow through.