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Child Support & Medicaid

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atlas1

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas

I am currently on Medicaid. I havent had my baby yet, but im due in less than a week. When I first became pregnant, I was living with my boyfriend and we were together and nothing has changed since then. However, I did not include him on the Medicaid application due to the fact that our income combined would not qualify me to recieve Medicaid but there would definitely be no way we could afford to get insurance, especially with my work not providing maternity leave for me. Also, my boyfriend is contract labor, so really theres no way to know how much hes going to make each week because of the hours, but even with the lowest estimate we still would not qualify which is ridiculous to me, when theres ppl that dont even try to work and still recieve it. Anyways, were not married so I just put myself on the application, but I did give them his name and his mothers address because he will be on the birth certificate. Now that its been 9 months and ive been on Medicaid everyone keeps telling him that the state is going to come after him for child support when he goes to file his taxes. Everyone ive talked to said they wont unless I try and get tanf or food stamps which im not planning on. I really need to know for sure whats and if anything is going to happen. He supports me and we go in half on every bill. But there just would have been no way we could afford the medical bills w/o the help of Medicaid even though they say we make to much.
 


Antigone*

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas

I am currently on Medicaid. I havent had my baby yet, but im due in less than a week. When I first became pregnant, I was living with my boyfriend and we were together and nothing has changed since then. However, I did not include him on the Medicaid application due to the fact that our income combined would not qualify me to recieve Medicaid but there would definitely be no way we could afford to get insurance, especially with my work not providing maternity leave for me. Also, my boyfriend is contract labor, so really theres no way to know how much hes going to make each week because of the hours, but even with the lowest estimate we still would not qualify which is ridiculous to me, when theres ppl that dont even try to work and still recieve it. Anyways, were not married so I just put myself on the application, but I did give them his name and his mothers address because he will be on the birth certificate. Now that its been 9 months and ive been on Medicaid everyone keeps telling him that the state is going to come after him for child support when he goes to file his taxes. Everyone ive talked to said they wont unless I try and get tanf or food stamps which im not planning on. I really need to know for sure whats and if anything is going to happen. He supports me and we go in half on every bill. But there just would have been no way we could afford the medical bills w/o the help of Medicaid even though they say we make to much.
You are defrauding the State. Your boyfriend will be responsible for paying the State back. If caught, you both could also be criminally prosecuted.
 

commentator

Senior Member
The "everyone" who is telling him they are going to come after him for child support after the baby is born is the correct group to listen to. This will be, no doubt, after the baby, due in a week is born. The "everyone" who says this is the case only if you apply for TANF or Food Stamp assistance is wrong.

Medicaid does require the name of the father, and all public assistances given to children require some investigation into why no child support is forthcoming, and will require that paternity of the child, once it is born, be established and your boyfriend is on the hook for support of the child.

And regardless of what you think about the income limits and how fair it all is, when you signed up for Medicaid, you gave the program access to all your information, including bank accounts, tax returns, etc, and if it is not correct, they will catch up with it through the system even if it takes several years. And one call from his jealous ex-girlfriend or a disgruntled co-worker of yours who doesn't think it is fair for you to be getting Medicaid is all it would take to move you to the front of the "investigated" line.

Usually if other health coverages are not available to him or her, the Medicaid system will continue to cover the child's health care, regardless of family income, but I would certainly begin immediately to give the perfectly correct income and residency information, so you will not end up being prosecuted for fraud.
 

CSO286

Senior Member
The "everyone" who is telling him they are going to come after him for child support after the baby is born is the correct group to listen to. This will be, no doubt, after the baby, due in a week is born. The "everyone" who says this is the case only if you apply for TANF or Food Stamp assistance is wrong.

Medicaid does require the name of the father, and all public assistances given to children require some investigation into why no child support is forthcoming, and will require that paternity of the child, once it is born, be established and your boyfriend is on the hook for support of the child.

And regardless of what you think about the income limits and how fair it all is, when you signed up for Medicaid, you gave the program access to all your information, including bank accounts, tax returns, etc, and if it is not correct, they will catch up with it through the system even if it takes several years. And one call from his jealous ex-girlfriend or a disgruntled co-worker of yours who doesn't think it is fair for you to be getting Medicaid is all it would take to move you to the front of the "investigated" line.

Usually if other health coverages are not available to him or her, the Medicaid system will continue to cover the child's health care, regardless of family income, but I would certainly begin immediately to give the perfectly correct income and residency information, so you will not end up being prosecuted for fraud.
I want to reiterate this. When you apply for any form of public assistance, you give the public authority permission to speak with/contact whomever they need to in order to verify the information you provide. And once you become the subject of a welfare fraud investigation, they dig everywhere---even to point of showing up on doorsteps to see where and with whom you are living (Interesting stuff--straight from our fraud investigator's mouth.)

If you are found guilty of welfare fraud--it can affect future eligibility. Think about that, OP. If you and BF break up in the future, and you need SNAP benefits or TANF monies, you may find that you are ineligible due to past findings of fraud.....even if they do not criminally charge you.
 
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ajs09876

Member
Is she?

:confused:Is she actually defrauding the system? Since she and the babies daddy are not married and the medical bills are for her only (since the baby is not born yet) wouldn't she be correct to include only her income. He is not legally dad yet. The baby is not born. Once the baby is born and he is legally dad, then absolutly they should include his income on the applications. Correct me if I'm wrong!
 

Isis1

Senior Member
:confused:Is she actually defrauding the system? Since she and the babies daddy are not married and the medical bills are for her only (since the baby is not born yet) wouldn't she be correct to include only her income. He is not legally dad yet. The baby is not born. Once the baby is born and he is legally dad, then absolutly they should include his income on the applications. Correct me if I'm wrong!
when filling out the applications, it is asked under penalty of purjury who are the other occupants in the home. what other income is being used to maintain the home. excluding that information is fraud.
 

atlas1

Junior Member
I want to reiterate this. When you apply for any form of public assistance, you give the public authority permission to speak with/contact whomever they need to in order to verify the information you provide. And once you become the subject of a welfare fraud investigation, they dig everywhere---even to point of showing up on doorsteps to see where and with whom you are living (Interesting stuff--straight from our fraud investigator's mouth.)

If you are found guilty of welfare fraud--it can affect future eligibility. Think about that, OP. If you and BF break up in the future, and you need SNAP benefits or TANF monies, you may find that you are ineligible due to past findings of fraud.....even if they do not criminally charge you.



The only information that I have not truthfully given them is that the father lived with me, even though they could have easily seen his name on the lease of the apartment if they actually have checked all that out. The phone bill was also in his name and so was the cable. The only thing that was in my name was the electric bill, the title to my car, the water bill & my name was the main person on the lease. So my question is that if they checked all that out, than wouldn't they question why his name was on that stuff?
 

Silverplum

Senior Member
The only information that I have not truthfully given them is that the father lived with me, even though they could have easily seen his name on the lease of the apartment if they actually have checked all that out. The phone bill was also in his name and so was the cable. The only thing that was in my name was the electric bill, the title to my car, the water bill & my name was the main person on the lease. So my question is that if they checked all that out, than wouldn't they question why his name was on that stuff?
Quoting...
 

CSO286

Senior Member
The only information that I have not truthfully given them is that the father lived with me, even though they could have easily seen his name on the lease of the apartment if they actually have checked all that out. The phone bill was also in his name and so was the cable. The only thing that was in my name was the electric bill, the title to my car, the water bill & my name was the main person on the lease. So my question is that if they checked all that out, than wouldn't they question why his name was on that stuff?
Well, once a QA audit occurs (even up to several years later) and those discrepencies are discovered and questioned, you can find yourelf paying back every dime you received in medical care, plus interest.


OP--think about that.
 
OP- check the laws in your state. In my state, they don't count the father's income unless you are married, even if he does live with you. It may be the same in Texas. So don't panic. Also, some states (including mine) do not start a paternity action simply because the mother is receiving medicaid. Usually, an involuntary paternity action is generated only by virture of receiving TANF (cash) benefits. My friend just had a baby recently, lived with the father (the state knew) and he wasn't required to pay back a penny of medicaid. So please, check. There are a lot people on this board with good intentions who *think* they know, but they aren't always correct. Paternity laws vary from state to state, and so do situations in which the state will begin an involuntary paternity action.
 

Antigone*

Senior Member
OP- check the laws in your state. In my state, they don't count the father's income unless you are married, even if he does live with you. It may be the same in Texas. So don't panic. Also, some states (including mine) do not start a paternity action simply because the mother is receiving medicaid. Usually, an involuntary paternity action is generated only by virture of receiving TANF (cash) benefits. My friend just had a baby recently, lived with the father (the state knew) and he wasn't required to pay back a penny of medicaid. So please, check. There are a lot people on this board with good intentions who *think* they know, but they aren't always correct. Paternity laws vary from state to state, and so do situations in which the state will begin an involuntary paternity action.
You obviously don't know what you're talking about. Please give only advice when you know.
 

Silverplum

Senior Member
There are a lot people on this board with good intentions who *think* they know, but they aren't always correct.
Like you. Like lots of noobs.

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Then WE waste a lot of time correcting those noobs, for the sake of the original poster, so that correct info is given.

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
 

CSO286

Senior Member
OP- check the laws in your state. In my state, they don't count the father's income unless you are married, even if he does live with you. It may be the same in Texas. So don't panic. Also, some states (including mine) do not start a paternity action simply because the mother is receiving medicaid. Usually, an involuntary paternity action is generated only by virture of receiving TANF (cash) benefits. My friend just had a baby recently, lived with the father (the state knew) and he wasn't required to pay back a penny of medicaid. So please, check. There are a lot people on this board with good intentions who *think* they know, but they aren't always correct. Paternity laws vary from state to state, and so do situations in which the state will begin an involuntary paternity action.
RE: the bolded: 'Cept here---I am right. In any event--OP lied on her application for assistance (medicaid). That is welfare fraud.

The application can be found here: http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/help/5017_1010-eng.pdf

She is required to list ALL PERSONS living in her home, income for ALL PERSONS, assest for ALL PERSONS, and what the expenses are and who pays them for ALL PERSONS.

In addition OP signed a form that stated (and I quote):

ETA( posted before I finishedtyping):
By applying for Medicaid: I understand that to the maximum extent allowed by state and federa law, HHSC will keep and medical payments made by other health insurance and any cash medical support collect for me or my child by the Office of Attorney General(OAG) I understand that the filing of this application andthe acceptance of Medicaid beneifts results in the automatic assignment to HHSC of any right any recipient has to any thrid party recivery. I agree to fully cooperate with HHSC in recivery of these funds.
I agree to authorize each provider of medicaid services to release and medical or other information about me or my eleigble family members in order for providers to be paid by medicaid.
I understand taht by applying for Meidcaid for my child, I agree to give information about and parent who is noti living with the child. If my child and I recieve Medicaid, my cse will be reffered to the Office of the Attorney General for child support services. If only my child recieves Medicaid, I understandtha referral to to the OAG for child support services is voluntary. If my case is referred to the OAG, I agree to cooperate in estblishing paternity and support for my child.
I acknowlege that If I give wrong or misleading infomation or let someone else use my Medical Card Identification Form, I could be prosecuted and/or berequired to pay back the State or Federal Government any benefits issued incorrectly.

<snip for relevency>

I certify under penalty of perjury that the information I have provided on this application is tru and complete to the best of my knowlege. If it is not, I may be subject to criminal prosecution.
 
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