Old timer needs advice... again

[Ref]

I know I have read posts in the past about this, but I thought I would get any updated  advice.

PBFH didn't want to pay the co-pay ($15) to take SD to the doctor's office, so she took her to the ER because they will bill her ($100). 

She flipped out on DH in an email the night before and the calls to his cell and our home happened shortly after that. DH is at the point where he is not going to argue anymore, so he lets the calls go to VM. She never left a message. She called 11 times in an hour.

She calls the house and I answer and ask her if she left him a message and she said "I don't have to. He knows I called". She calls him right after and leaves a message about he taking SD to the ER. She said "this is what you get!". She also gleefully sent an email telling him how much more the ER was that he had to pay.

Anyway, she sent DH an email that said that she chose to go to the ER instead of the DR because she couldn't pay the co-pay.

My advice to DH is to reimburse her the co-pay for the Dr. and not the entire ER bill.

What do you think?

[tigger]

Instictively, I would agree with this and make sure to keep the e-mail and the voicemail in case she tries to take you to court.  My guess is that she wouldn't because if she can't affort a $15 co-pay, she's certainly not going to be able to afford court.

Legally, I think you'd be okay but I'm no expert.

[Kitty C.]

I agree with tigger, but watch out that she doesn't use your DH as the one financially responsible.  Remember that if he hasn't signed anything, they can't hang it on him.  If this does happen, he will need to ask for the form he 'supposedly' signed to accept that responsibility and when they can't provide it, tell them to refer to the ER notes, in that it was the mother who brought the child in, not him.  She is the one who has to pay the bill.  I would only pay what is legally required by court order.

[MothersGetARawDealToo]

What happened to those amicable Demi Moore/Bruce Willis divorces?  Why does there always have to be one psycho of every duo.  I have been divorced for 8 years and can not get my ex off of my back!   

I would say it is only $50 and that he should just pay half and cross his fingers that there is not more to come.  Do they have joint legal custody?  Is he supposed to be consulted about her medical care before she seeks it?  Maybe he should take her back to mediation or court if she was supposed to consult him first and bring those emails and voicemails.  The both of you should not waste anymore time arguing with her.  You can NOT reason with a psycho!  Good luck

[Ref]

His parenting agreement says that she needs to notify him regarding all medical. It also states that he is responsible for any REASONABLE medical expenses. IMO, it would have been reasonable for her to incur the $15 copay. It was not reasonable to take her to the ER to punish DH and it seems more and more that that is exactly why she did this. Unfortunatly SD had to undergo 6 hours of ER, barium swallows, morophine, CAT scans, and other poking and prodding over a stomach virus that will just have to pass on its own, because BM was mad at DH.

Ugh.

I don't think we will go to court/mediation over any of this. We have 6 months left. It would take that long or longer to get a court date.

We have settled with just paying the $15. BM has recently emailed DH bragging about the $100 ER bill that she will be forwarding on to him.

Thanks for all the advice,

Ref