Ex isn't paying DS medical bills...

[indiefolklore]

DS (2.5) was on state insurance until a year ago and then his father finally put him on his insurance. He has asthma so every few months we have a trip to the ER, this past fall actually having 3 and a hospital stay.

Ex has used my parents address (where i now reside) for the past two years for work and has never got around to changing it. I recieve all the medical bills here, some that are incorrectly bundled and need to be fixed by insurance but he never calls either the insurance company nor pays them. I have called the hospital a few times to get extentions for him and still nothing has been done. He is now in collections and does not care at all.

I worry about how this may affect DS name and if we end up going to the hospital again if there will be problems. I told him last night that if he won't pay these bills i feel more comfortable DS being on state insurance. I believe that he does not want me to switch because he will have to pay more child support. He told me that he WILL NOT take him off insurance and if i try to go ahead to get DS on state insurance i will be commiting fraud.

[BathrobeGoddess]

It won't affect your son's name but it will affect you since you are also liable for paying your son's medical care, no matter what your court agreement says, its a civil agreement and the rest of the system doesn't recognize it as legally binding. It happened to me, once the collection agents figured out that ex wasn't going to pay, they came after me, sued me and I ended up being garnished and having a lien put on my home

As far as I know there is nothing fraudulent about having private and public health insurance. You can have both medicaid and private insurance at least.

[VisionaryMom]

Originally Posted by BathrobeGoddess 

It won't affect your son's name but it will affect you since you are also liable for paying your son's medical care, no matter what your court agreement says, its a civil agreement and the rest of the system doesn't recognize it as legally binding. It happened to me, once the collection agents figured out that ex wasn't going to pay, they came after me, sued me and I ended up being garnished and having a lien put on my home

As far as I know there is nothing fraudulent about having private and public health insurance. You can have both medicaid and private insurance at least.

Actually medical providers can stop seeing her son. Going to the ER in a true emergency is different. In most states, the ER staff is bound by law to treat the patient, but non-emergencies can be refused. Individual providers also can choose not to see her son because of previous, unpaid bills.

At our children's offices, the paperwork always says that regardless of court orders, the parent bringing the child is the responsible party. The dad, in your case, would be the "insured party" only, but you would be the one responsible for the bills.

The problem with having both public & private insurance is that public insurance has income limits on it, and in most cases, it's necessary that no other insurance is available to the child.

[Kontessa]

This is all kinds of wrong.... how dare he do this to his son!

 You need legal help, something has to be able to be done about this. Your son can't go without care because one parent is set in screwing you over with bills as your forced to do the right thing. Maybe make an appointment to see someone about getting back on the old insurance, maybe they have experience with this!

[terrordactyl]

i would definitely go back to state insurance your ex is lying about it being a fraud i would go in and talk to a case worker about it. i think he just doesn't want to pay more child support so he is trying to scare you. 

[kijip]

You should check with your state.  In my state a child can be on a parent's insurance and state insurance also if they qualify.  The parent's insurance is then the primary and the state insurance is secondary and the state pays the costs not covered by the primary insurance.  I have low income friends who have this arrangement so that the state covers the co-pays and other items.  Also, the secondary insurance will make sure that the primary is paying what they need to pay, resolving the issue about your ex not calling the company.  

[geekgolightly]

My DS is on private and medicaid currently. As am I (I'm pregnant.) The private takes care of it's portion and Medicaid seems to be taking care of the rest.

[MariesMama]

What does your support agreement say about liability for medical bills? There should be a section in the agreement that outlines how much each parent has to pay. If he's not paying his portion it can be attached to his support and garnished out of his check, although you would have to pay it first.

[Maluhia]

I think you'll have to take your ex to court over this lest it become your legal issue if he continues nonpayment :(