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What happens if you cannot afford to pay court ordered medical bills?

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jkl42259

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? TN

My wife and I got a divorce a year ago. I got to keep the house and she got three cars and two boats. I was ordered to pay for medical bills not covered by my insurance. The thing is my wife takes my daughter to the doctor when she doesn't need to go because she wants to stick me with bills. She told me she's deliberately doing it so I'm not just accusing her of it. Not only that she brags about it to our old friends lol. Right now I have 10,000.00 worth of medical bills to pay off. And I can't afford it. I'm paying 5.00 a month on them and she's complaining about it. She says she's going to take me to court because I'm violating a court order. The reason I can't afford them is because our house payment is 1500.00 a month. When she lived with me we both worked so we shared the house payment. The cars were paid for and so were the boats. But I have a great job but I just can't afford the portion of credit cards I was left with, the mortgage and the car payment on the one car the court let me keep. Plus various other expenses. My daughter has been to specialists that she says she doesnt need to see. She says that they don't ever find anything wrong with her. When she has a rash she takes her to a dermatoligist. When she has a bladder infection or thinks she does she goes to a urologist. She's had bloodwork done so many times it's not funny and she says she wasn't even sick. Her mother made her go. She never just goes to a family doctor. And specialists are way more expensive. What will the court do to me if my ex decides to turn me in for only paying 5.00 or 10.00 a month on the medical bills?
 


Some Random Guy

Senior Member
Two choices: file for contempt with the court and/or call CPS and ask them to investigate the abuse of your child by subjecting her to unnecessary tests and procedures.
 

jkl42259

Junior Member
That's considered abuse? She's not going to tell officials anything to get her mother in trouble. And it will be my word against hers. I just want to know what happens if I have to go to court. Will they make me pay something I don't have money for. I mean you cant' squeeze blood from a turnip you know lol.
 

moburkes

Senior Member
That's considered abuse? She's not going to tell officials anything to get her mother in trouble. And it will be my word against hers. I just want to know what happens if I have to go to court. Will they make me pay something I don't have money for. I mean you cant' squeeze blood from a turnip you know lol.
In your other thread you said that you just spend $5000 on a boat.
 

jkl42259

Junior Member
In your other thread you said that you just spend $5000 on a boat.
Yes I did buy back my boat with 5000.00. I didn't think it was anyones business to tell where I got the money from. However my mother offered to loan me 3 grand under the agreement that I would pay her when I could and what I could. My older brother threw in the other two grand and told me not to worry about paying him back because he said it was for dads sake. They didn't want to see me lose the boat due to how heartbroken I was and how heartbroken my father would be if he were alive. And she actually used her car on the bank note. So it's impossible for me to go to her to help me with the medical bills for my child if I need to. I'm not spoiled. I've never asked my mother for anything. But this was something very important to us.

Now that I explained that I'm not just trying to NOT pay for my childs medical bills because I want to spend money on other things...what can I do about my situation of not being able to pay the bills?
 

CJane

Senior Member
what can I do about my situation of not being able to pay the bills?
What, EXACTLY does your order state regarding medical bills, submission of the uncovered portion to the NCP, time frames for payment, what to do with 'out of network' payments, and who makes major medical decisions?
 

jkl42259

Junior Member
What, EXACTLY does your order state regarding medical bills, submission of the uncovered portion to the NCP, time frames for payment, what to do with 'out of network' payments, and who makes major medical decisions?
I am supposed to pay the doctor directly for uncovered bills. They bill me for the portion not covered by the insurance. However the bill comes to my address but they have the ex wifes name on them. I've called the doctors offices and they said that she's the custodial parent and that she's the one that signed the privacy policy for my daughter since she's underage then the bills come in her name but they are sent to me. They have a copy of the agreement on file. But they said that's how they do it. So if I don't pay it goes on HER credit report. Which I think she could probably get that taken off if she took them to court. But if I can't pay for them it's going to go on her report and she's definately gong to be ticked off enough to push everything as far as she can. She pays the copays and the deductible. But copays are 15 for doctor and 10 for meds and the deductible is 200 for hospital. The time is 30 days from the generation of the bill from the office. Which really leaves me like 20 days because it's sent to me through snail mail. So far there are no out of network payments. I have a good insurance company. The specialists are all in network. But if there are out of network payments I'm responsible for those 100 percent. The reason being is that my ex quit her job when she moved out BEFORE the divorce. She just up and packed and left one day and moved in with another man she had worked with for years. Apparently there had been an ongoing affair for a long long time. She had even put in a notice at work she was quitting two weeks before. I had absolutely NO idea. She doesn't work anymore because she owns the three cars and one boat she got from me...I pay her child support and on top of that the man she lives with owns his home and pays all the bills. So she stays at home. And the ex makes major medical decisions. She's the custodial parent. I figured since my daughter was 11 at the time of separation she could decide when she felt she should see a doctor herself. I had no idea my wife would drag her there. And my daughter won't tell her mother no because she's extremely well behaved. She obeys either one of us completely.
 
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CJane

Senior Member
I am supposed to pay the doctor directly for uncovered bills. They bill me for the portion not covered by the insurance. Except for the copays. The time is 30 days from the generation of the bill from the office. Which really leaves me like 20 days because it's sent to me through snail mail.
Well, that's not EXACTLY what your order says, but going by what you've posted you're in contempt. However, it's unclear what damage Mom would be suffering because of this.

So far there are no out of network payments. I have a good insurance company. The specialists are all in network.
You have 'good insurance' and yet you owe $10000 in past due medical bills? In CO-PAYS??? How is that possible?

And the ex makes major medical decisions. She's the custodial parent.
You don't have joint legal?

I figured since my daughter was 11 at the time of separation she could decide when she felt she should see a doctor herself.
Heh. Not likely.

We really can't give you GOOD advice that pertains to your exact situation unless you post what's in your specific order EXACTLY.
 

jkl42259

Junior Member
You have 'good insurance' and yet you owe $10000 in past due medical bills? In CO-PAYS??? How is that possible?

It's isn't copays. I owe for procedures that's not covered by the policy. Plus my daughter has preexisting medical conditions. Im' not getting into what. 6 months ago I got offered a better job making a little more money so I took it. The insurance policy will not pay for the preexisting condition. Even though she was covered over 18 months ago by another policy. I'm not sure why. I've went round and round about it. Anyway if I'm in "contempt" what can they do? I mean if I don't have the money to pay it where in the world will the courts find the money? We don't have joint legal. She makes ALL the decisions.
 
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CJane

Senior Member
Anyway if I'm in "contempt" what can they do? I mean if I don't have the money to pay it where in the world will the courts find the money? We don't have joint legal. She makes ALL the decisions.
They'll issue a judgment against you for the amount owed, and possibly additional funds as a penalty for ignoring the court order.

It's possible they will attach your assets, place a lien on your house and any other property, award Mom property in exchange for the money you owe... who knows. It's up the the judge at that point.

Regardless of your reasoning, it's NOT going to look good that you just spent money on a PI and boat while not paying for medical care for your child ESPECIALLY if she has ongoing medical issues.
 

jkl42259

Junior Member
They'll issue a judgment against you for the amount owed, and possibly additional funds as a penalty for ignoring the court order.

It's possible they will attach your assets, place a lien on your house and any other property, award Mom property in exchange for the money you owe... who knows. It's up the the judge at that point.

Regardless of your reasoning, it's NOT going to look good that you just spent money on a PI and boat while not paying for medical care for your child ESPECIALLY if she has ongoing medical issues.
I spoke to a lawyer about taking bankruptcy on my home, my car, and the medical bills as well as the credit cards that were in my wifes name that I'm stuck paying for. I'm probably going to end up doing it because all together I have a debt right now including what I have left to pay for the home and the land of over 400 thousand dollars!! I'll never pay it all off. The credit cards together including interest are 30 thousand!! I'll be dead and still owe money. And belive me she maxed them out on a regular basis. But if I'm the one responsible for the bills why would they award her anything? She's not legally responsible. She isn't going to pay the medical bills either way. Because she doesn't have to. And the doctors aren't going to go after her if they have a court order saying I am supposed to pay. What about people who don't have a "pot to piss in" who are ordered to pay the medical bills? Say some poor guy gets 6.00 an hour at a job and has a thousand in medical bills to pay for and he just can't do it. He rents an apartment..his car is worth probably 800.00 and falling apart. What type of lein do the courts put on people like that when there's nothing of any worth to take?
 

CJane

Senior Member
And the doctors aren't going to go after her if they have a court order saying I am supposed to pay.
Sure they will.

What about people who don't have a "pot to piss in" who are ordered to pay the medical bills? Say some poor guy gets 6.00 an hour at a job and has a thousand in medical bills to pay for and he just can't do it. He rents an apartment..his car is worth probably 800.00 and falling apart. What type of lein do the courts put on people like that when there's nothing of any worth to take?
They'd better get better jobs so they can support their kids. That's the way it works.
 

CourtClerk

Senior Member
Here's a thought. One that I thought was rather logical, but maybe not. Because as responsible parents, sometimes we have to do things we don't WANT to do, to do things we HAVE to do.

Sell the damn boat. And if mom and brother are so good at loaning out money with no specific times frames for repayment to buy back TOYS, then surely they'll loan you money to pay for yours and their own FLESH AND BLOOD.

Geez...do I have to think for everyone?
 

samsam88

Junior Member
Bankruptcy sounds like a better choice for you. You can consolidate your bills, still keep your house and assets too. I would also see about proving your ex is just abusing the insurance and making you pay for what you don't really need to. Your daughter is old enough to understand what taking an oath to tell the truth means in court. You could talk to a lawyer about having your daughter testify to the fact she wasn't sick all those times but her mother made her go. Might not work. But it might. If she's going to the doctor once a week and your daughter isn't missing school that's a red flag she's not really sick. And what pre existing medical condition does she have? If it's something minute like say a skin condition or bad eye sight or something then that wouldn't warrant so many doctor visits. But if she has a heart condition or diabetes or asthma then it might be hard to prove your case that she wasn't sick all those times.
 
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