2 medical health coverage

[rzack]

What is the name of your state? VA

My husband has the full responsibility to cover his son medical coverage. He is the NCP. His son broke his arm (for the second time within 2 months) and she blurthed out that she went to her doctor for the treatment rather than the one that my husband is paying. That means all this tme his son is cover with 2 medical coverage. Can his ex claim anything if she use her own medical coverage? Since my husband provide another one. So far, she doesn't claim anything yet, but I just want to prepare for the worst.

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state? VA

My husband has the full responsibility to cover his son medical coverage. He is the NCP. His son broke his arm (for the second time within 2 months) and she blurthed out that she went to her doctor for the treatment rather than the one that my husband is paying. That means all this tme his son is cover with 2 medical coverage. Can his ex claim anything if she use her own medical coverage? Since my husband provide another one. So far, she doesn't claim anything yet, but I just want to prepare for the worst.

Claim what? Unreimbursed medical costs? Wouldn't unreimbursed costs exist even if the doctor your husband is paying was used?

 

[rzack]

My husband is in the military, so the medical coverage is 100%, no co-pay whatsoever. She probably have to pay co-pay or the difference.

 

[LdiJ]

My husband is in the military, so the medical coverage is 100%, no co-pay whatsoever. She probably have to pay co-pay or the difference.

So...your husband isn't paying a doctor is he? Whether or not your husband can be hit up for any co-pays or unrembursed expenses really depends on how available the military doctors are to the child....distance etc....

If mom could have gotten the broken arm into a military doctor immediately...then your husband probably could prevail. If she had to drive the child a long distance to use the military doctor, then your husband might not.

It would be unusual for a parent to choose to pay for a second health insurance policy if military coverage was easily and readily available...and mom had the proper "cards and ID".

 

[cbg]

I read the question as asking whether there is anything illegal about having two coverages. There isn't. You can have 42 insurance policies if you want to. It isn't necessarily cost effective and it does not guarantee that 100% of all bills, no matter what, will be covered; that depends on the coordination of benefits between the policies. But it's legal.

 

[rzack]

Its true its not illigal to have more than 1 medical coverage. His son has his own doctor with the military hospital and he is with the same hospital since he was 5 (now he is 12). The distance not a problem. The mother just said she don't want to wait and its easier to go to her doctor. All these times she used the medical from military. The child has his own military ID card, not a problem with that because my husband keep everything on top about his son's medical issues.

 

[ceara19]

Its true its not illigal to have more than 1 medical coverage. His son has his own doctor with the military hospital and he is with the same hospital since he was 5 (now he is 12). The distance not a problem. The mother just said she don't want to wait and its easier to go to her doctor. All these times she used the medical from military. The child has his own military ID card, not a problem with that because my husband keep everything on top about his son's medical issues.

If my child broke a bone, I wouldn't wait for treatment just because it is more cost effective!

 

[rzack]

Oh well, I understand, I won't wait either. I don't blame her at all. What I don't understand, last time the child had fever and she just waited for few days, until he fainted in the bathroom. If waiting 5 minutes just to get a cast is a problem and you have to pay $500 more, I don't see the realistic of it. Its not she has to wait to see a doctor whatsover, just wait few minutes to cast his hand.

 

[ceara19]

Oh well, I understand, I won't wait either. I don't blame her at all. What I don't understand, last time the child had fever and she just waited for few days, until he fainted in the bathroom. If waiting 5 minutes just to get a cast is a problem and you have to pay $500 more, I don't see the realistic of it. Its not she has to wait to see a doctor whatsover, just wait few minutes to cast his hand.

A fever is not always a BAD thing. It is the bodies way of fighting off an infection. In most cases a trip to the doctor is totally unnecessary. Fainting is a whole other story. I would consider that an emergency if the child were having other symptoms, like a fever.

I don't know what mom's reasons are. I do know that I would not change pediatricians just because their current doctor isn't in my insurance network. It's hard to find a GREAT doctor and I have. They have seen other docs, but even when we lived 5 hours away, I would still bring them here for annual exams. I would be here visiting anyway and if I had completely switched, it would have been impossible to get them back in once we moved back because he hasn't accepted new patients in years.

Sorry, but this is something I would side with mom on. Just because something is CHEAPER, doesn't mean that it is the BEST choice. When it comes to your child's HEALTH, shopping around for a good deal is a risk no one should take. She could have brought the child to a doc in the box walk-in clinic for a lot less too, but I have never seen one of those clinics that I would highly recommend to treat any child.

 

[rzack]

Thanks for the reply Ceara, I totally understand. As long she is not doing it frequently for no reason. FYI the son has his own special doctor in the military hospital because he is having a serious illness since he is 5 years old which he needs to do blood check and is under medication everyday since he is 5. So most of the doctors in the military know him so well and we just can call their cell or home anytime if emergency occurs. By the way thank you for all the reply. So for him having weak bones is understanding since his illness related to that. Thanks all!