dr. bills...etc.

[momof1cutie]

What is the name of your state? CA

i already have a court order for child support, so my question has to do w/ other costs of my son. since he's been born i've paid for co-pays for dr. visits and the cost of medication. do i send the bill to his father for half of these costs or do i have to have it stated on paper from the courts?? also, what about cost of braces and after-school activities??

 

[stepmom65]

My husband and his ex have the following documented on their court documents.
1. He pays for all medical/dental insurance.
2. Co-pays, perscriptions, braces, anything not paid by insurance is 50/50.
3. School activities, whichevery parent wants the activity, they pay, but they can pay 50/50 if both parties agree.

This is on the actual court documents, so if it's not listed on yours, you might be out of luck, and I'd get it changed to reflect this, when you go back for anytime of modification request.

Also, if you want to be reimbursed you have to send copies of the cancelled checks, bills, etc to the x within 30 days of the services rendered. Do this certified mail. We found this out the hard way....with regular mail our x claimed she never received any receipts.

 

[momof1cutie]

Thank you for your advice!! The thing is my son's father has had no contact for almost a year and a half, so should I just send the receipts certified to him?? I have bills dating back 3 years, can I go back that far??

 

[haiku]

does your order address medical?
if medical costs are NOT addressed in your court order your ex is not under any obligation to pay them.

 

[VeronicaGia]

Thank you for your advice!! The thing is my son's father has had no contact for almost a year and a half, so should I just send the receipts certified to him?? I have bills dating back 3 years, can I go back that far??

And under CA law, you have 30 days after incurring the bills to send the other parent proof of the bill and proof of your payment. The old bills aren't likely to get paid, but no one can tell you what a judge will decide.

You really need to read your court order.

 

[Phnx02]

Like everyone already suggests......look at what your court order says about uninsured medical expenses......most courts have this written into the docs.....each parent pays 50/50 of these costs. This includes co-pays.

You can still try to send him reciepts for bills more than 30 days old and see if he pays.....many times doctor offices don't send out bills for any outstanding amount still owed until after they recieve payment from insurance....and this can be months after the date of service.

 

[momof1cutie]

if my ex is not obligated to pay it, then believe me...HE WON'T. i will look at my court order tosee if it's written and if not, then i will go back to get that modified. to me, it should be automatically written in a child support order.

 

[VeronicaGia]

Like everyone already suggests......look at what your court order says about uninsured medical expenses......most courts have this written into the docs.....each parent pays 50/50 of these costs. This includes co-pays.

You can still try to send him reciepts for bills more than 30 days old and see if he pays.....many times doctor offices don't send out bills for any outstanding amount still owed until after they recieve payment from insurance....and this can be months after the date of service.

It has nothing to do with the insurance issue. Once the parent pays the out of pocket is when the receipts must be sent to the other parent. It can be months after service if an insurance company is slow.

 

[Phnx02]

It has nothing to do with the insurance issue. Once the parent pays the out of pocket is when the receipts must be sent to the other parent. It can be months after service if an insurance company is slow.

Not necissarily.....all insurance plans are different. In my case, whenever I take my son to the doctor, all I'm ever told to pay at the end of each visit is the $15 copay. I know the office has already called the insurance co. to get benefit info.....because they all do....but since they (nor I) don't know how many recent previous claims are still outstanding or still being processed (& thus if a deductible has been met etc.), all they have me pay is the co-pay. My son is on his father's "family plan" and since it's his plan, I have no way of knowing who else on HIS side may have already fulfilled the deductible etc. by the time I take my son to the doctor (the insurance Co. will not readily disclose this info to me due to HIPPA laws- my ex is the cardholder - not me) . So it's a waiting game. My ex and I are to pay 50/50 of all uninsured medical costs, including dectucibles etc, but I am not made aware of what was or what was not paid by his insurance until AFTER they process claims every 30-60 days or so.......and I get a bill from the doctor because my ex failed to keep me "in the loop" on this. So surprise, surprise, every once in awhile I will get a bill from a doctor visit from 6-9 months prior, where they say once they submitted the bill, the insurance only paid so much, and I need to pay the remainder. So then, half ayear after the fact, I get a bill I thought was covered by insurance, but wasn't, and have to then send receipt to my ex to reimburse me for half. Even though it's my ex's insurnace, the bill is in my name since I was the parent who took the child to the doctor.....and it's then my problem to get him to reimburse me.

 

[Rufie]

My court order says he must pay within 15 days of me giving him receipts.

But still waiting 3.5 years with a $4000.00 balance. Keep all receipts because you must have them when you go to court. I Airborne mine. With a signature.
Postal Service has lost many certified letters of mine.

 

[momof1cutie]

can you have the father pay half of the co-pays throughout the child's life?? i don't have major dr. bills, but taking my son for his yearly check-ups, twice for other reasons and perscriptions.