Quote:
Originally Posted by MIbusybusy
This charge is not 50% of the medical costs. Based on the "validation" that was sent this is the entire bill. I am the custodial parent. When I talked to my ex-wife about it she denied any liability. I'm not opposed to paying half of the bill because that's my responsibility, but the ex refuses to pay the other half of the bill. My only concern is keeping the judgment off my credit.
There is no alimony to my wife. So decreasing her alimony isn't an option.
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Let me tell you a little story...I was the custodial parent. Per our divorce agreement my ex was supposed to keep health insurance on our two kids. One had to have a tonsillectomy. His insurance was primary and had a long history of not paying very quickly. My insurance wouldn't pay before his insurance because they were secondary. Nine months after my daughter's surgery, I was turned over to collections for the surgeons bill and the hospital bill
because I was the custodial parent and there was the threat to sue me and garnish my wages. I paid it off over the course of the next year. Lo and behold a few months after the bills were paid, the surgeon's office called and told me that my ex's insurance finally sent them the money. BUT - by law, since the bill was already paid, they had to reimburse the insurance money to the insured, SO the money was sent to my ex not me even though I had paid the bill. My insurance reimbursed me their part of the bill which was a tiny amount. I called my ex and tried to get him to send the money and he would not. My divorce attorney told me that since my ex had moved to FL I would have to hire a licensed attorney in FL to go after him for the money. After a few phone calls to attorneys in FL, it was obvious it was going to cost me more to go after the money than the total amount I was out. SO....the moral of this little story? The custodial parent is ultimately responsible for any bill for the child. Not the ex. You have to enforce your right to the money to be paid by your ex in a civil court of law if you can and in the meantime, you just have to pay it. If you don't want it on your credit report, negotiate it with the collection agency or the medical provider to that effect. Sorry, there are no happy endings to this and no easy solutions as life is not fair. Never has been, never will be.