You are here

Afraid to add SD to my health insurance because of BM

christinen's picture

One last post for the day! So if you read my last post, you know that I reported BM for welfare fraud and her Medicaid was taken away. She called DH today yelling that he better get health insurance for “his daughter.”

Well DH is on my health insurance. His employer doesn’t even offer health insurance. I was thinking about adding SD to my insurance (it doesn’t cost much to add a third person) but here’s my issue- BM takes SD to the hospital for EVERYTHING. If SD has an ear ache or sore throat, she goes to the ER. She’s used to not having to pay for it so I guess that’s why she did it.

With my private health insurance, I can’t have her taking SD to the hospital like that because I will end up with a $300+ bill every time she does it.

Is there a way that I can make it so I am the only one who can authorize treatment? SD is with us all week so we would be the one taking her to the doctor anyway. Just don’t want BM to try anything on the weekend. I can see her doing it on purpose just to stick us with the bill (she’s nasty like that).

What do you all do as far as skid’s health insurance and to protect yourself?

SMof2Girls's picture

Call your insurance company and explain your situation .. ask what your options are. Regardless of insurance coverage, I would think that if BM is taking the kid to the doctor, SHE would be responsible for any additional cost that insurance didn't cover. Or her and DH would split that 50/50 .. whatever their custody order says.

BM carries my skids on her insurance because she gets free coverage through her work.

christinen's picture

If they can make it so whoever takes SD to the doctor is the one responsible for the payment, that's fine with me. I have pretty decent insurance but for an ER visit, I still get a bill for at least $300 depending on what tests, etc were done. It just worries me. I will have to call & see what my options are.

I know BM won't pay anything voluntarily, but they do have a custody mod hearing next week so I will tell DH to make sure something about that is included.

sbm014's picture

I would also ask to DH what it says in the CO.

For my SS it says parents split medical bills 50/50 if receipt is submitted to the parent within I believe 30 days. However depending on the dr or situation BM is soley responsible for the co-pay if DH does not approve of the doctor for example

Also, it states that if BM can refute the treatment was not needed for example:: BM swore SS needed glasses took him to a non pediatric doctor and got him glasses, DH did have to pay the office visit for the pediatric eye doctor we took him to which was WAY less than her doctor and glasses she was trying to make us pay for then it was a wash and each parent ate the cost they incurred during the respective visits.

SMof2Girls's picture

I think you get the bills because you receive the treatment. Does your insurance company send the bills? I know my doctor office sends a bill for any services not covered by insurance, not the insurance company.

I think this one will come down to a custody order issue.

christinen's picture

True. My doctor's office (or hospital, whatever applies) is the one who sends the actual bill for whatever is left over after insurance pays.

Their current CO doesn't say anything about this because BM had Medicaid, but they do go to court next week for custody modification so I will make sure DH brings this up. I want BM to be responsible for her share.

sbm014's picture

I think it depends on the company and situation. DH and I receive issue of benefits statements for the treatment BM takes SS in for but the Dr's office sends the bill to the parents who is on the documents for the visit.

SMof2Girls's picture

Yeah I also get a Statement of Benefits from my insurance company after each visit, but those aren't bills; just a statement showing what they covered.

sbm014's picture

That's my point is we still get a notification but the Dr has been known to make sure the bill goes to the parent that took the child in.

Patsy's picture

Your SD should still be able to stay on Medicaid. She was denied because of fraud your SD wasn't. Sign her up for it they can only use his income and hers and by what you say she should be allowed to stay on Medicaid. Call the welfare office and explain then they will ask for his income and they can't for him to pay of 5% at least in Indiana for medical insurance. I would not add her to mine. I think as long as a kid has insurance it doesn't matter sometimes who brings them in. We ran into this problem when we added SD to ours and the BM took her all the time.

christinen's picture

DH and I (and even DH without me) make too much to be eligible for Medicaid, so it would have to be BM that gets it for her. I guess because she hardly ever has SD, that is why they dropped her? I really don't know all the details of what exactly they looked into.

Also, BM has been working at a fast food place and in our state, if you make more than $200/week, you make too much for Medicaid so even her minimum wage job would probably put her over.

Grr. I knew there was going to be something about reporting her that backfired on me lol

hismineandours's picture

I am not sure of the legality of it all, but I would think the parent taking the child to the dr. is the one legally responsible no matter who carries the insurance.

My ss used to be covred by both both dh and bm. He was with just me a lot. When I took him to the dr and there was the spot for responsible party I put down dh's name. The sent us a bill of what was left after both insurances paid their part. Likewise, bm did the same. She did not take him a lot, but she did take him a few times and she evidently put herself down as a responsible party as we never saw bills-just the eob from the insurance company.

I don't think she could legally just put your name down as the responsibly party. Because you are not. You are in no way legally responsible for your skid-so even if she did I'd simply send the bill back to the dr's office and report that this is not your child and give them bm's name and address.

christinen's picture

That's a good idea. Idk I am just rethinking her putting on my insurance because I know BM is going to try to pull some crap and it's going to be a hassle. But idk how else she would get health insurance because BM sure as hell can't afford it and DH's employer doesn't offer it.

What a mess.

christinen's picture

The only program I know of is Medicaid but I will have to look into it. Problem is, DH won't qualify for anything. It would have to be BM and she's too lazy to do anything.

I do have copays but BM isn't going to pay anything voluntarily. It would have to be court ordered and even then I wouldn't count on it.

I think we will have to see what happens in their custody mod hearing next week. Hopefully they will address this.

christinen's picture

Good idea to run this all by a lawyer.

I did report her anonymously but I'm sure she knows it was us. I don't care though- everything I said was true and obviously the allegations were substantiated or they wouldn't have taken away her benefits. She was lying about when she had SD so she could get free food, insurance and even cash so I have no guilt whatsoever.

It def sucks they took the health insurance for SD away but I don't regret reporting her at all.

Patsy's picture

I would love to know how this turns out please give us an update after the hearing. The way it is described by fightincrazytrain above is how it works in my state as well.

christinen's picture

Thanks! Yes, if I can get it in the CO that she has to pay for whatever she has done, I am fine with it. I just don't want this coming back to bite me.

There is definitely no way DH can get insurance through his employer; they don't offer it at all. I am wondering about the new "Obamacare" though- wonder if they would make him get that.

christinen's picture

That's my fear. BM is very vindictive and angry so I can definitely see her doing everything she can to make our lives a little harder. It seems like that's her mission in life.

I told DH last night that he needs to bring this up in their mediation next week (they have mediation first to see if they can agree on custody arrangement & if not, that's when they go in front of a judge). I told him that unless he can get it in their CO that she is responsible for the payment when she takes SD to the dr/hospital, then I am not adding her to my insurance.

Adding her would really be a favor to both DH and BM, so I am not doing it if there is any way I will get stuck with the bills. I need everything in the CO or it's a no-go.