Do you have some sort of agreement in place about medical expenses? If not, then I don’t see how she can ask you to share these expenses. Who carries the children’s medical insurance?
mal is correct that there is nothing legally that could require you to pay this amount unless you have an agreement or court order stating that fact. It sounds as though their mother carries insurance otherwise you would have been aware of these expenses by way of EOB.
What’s the $250 annum?
Medical expenses that are not covered by insurance are normally shared by the parents but I believe that the standard is that the parent is presented or at the very least made aware of it prior to the end of the insurance year. I would be requesting itimized medical bills and a copy of where the other parent has paid a portion. Or is she requesting that you reimburse her for payment already made?
The 30 months is what I would be curious about. There’s no way that a medical bill would go 30 months without payment and not cause some sort of trouble…
Thanks for both responses.
There is language in the court order and in the NC guidelines requiring me to pay my share of unreimbursed medical expenses for the children in proprtion to our incomes. In this case, since I make twice as much as she does, I am to pay 2/3 of the uncovered medical expense. The language in the court order is consistent with the language in the NC guidelines in that their mother “shall be responsible for the first $250 of uninsured medical, hospitalization, dental, opthalmic, orthodontic, optometric and prescription drug expenses of the minor children per year.”
What is ambiguous is whether this is $250 for both children or $250 per child per year. Other states using the income shares model indicate clearly that it is $250 per child per year as the $250 deductable per child is calculated into the support amount. I wanted to determine that it was the same or different in NC.
In answer to your concern, she is not submitting unpaid medical bills, but rather receipts for bills that she has already paid going back 30 months.
So, in NC, is the guideline that the custodial parent will pay the first $250 per year for all children of a single father in the household or $250 per child per year?
Jack
Based on the way the order is written I believe the court would interpret it to mean she is responsible for the first $250 of unreimbursed expenses total and would not apportion it per child.
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I have two children, the oldest of which just graduated from High School. There mother has recently submitted their medical expenses going back some 30 months indicating that my share of the expense will be $2000 and some odd dollars. She did not show in her calculation where she deducted $250 per annum from the total expense.
Here is my question: Is the non-custodial parent responsible for his or her share of the childrens’ medical expenses in excess of $250 per year or in excess of $250 per child per year?
Thanks,
Jack