Medical Bill Issue

[lovindad]

I am NCP, Ex Wife has full legal and physical custody.  I have EOW and 50% holiday visitation.

Parties in GA.

Paperwork states that I am responsible for all insurance and 50% of all uncovered medical costs.  Paperwork also states that CP has 30 days to remit receipts to me and that I then have 30 days to remit 50% of payment to Doctor / Dental office, or to her.

Over the course of 2 years, CP has remitted maybe 1 out of every 10 bills to me so that I can pay 50%.  These are usually the co-pays that she wants to be reimbursed on.  Other than that, she has allowed bills to pile up at doctor and dental offices.

When I ask for any bills, I never reveive any receipts, bill totals, etc.

She never pays her outstanding bills at these offices and as a result my children are being denied medical / dental care at several facilities.  

Whenever offices do contact me, I quickly send in my 50% and have paperwork to prove this.

Today I received a bill from another dental office in the amount of 400.00.........the result of a year of non-payment.  I promptly paid my 50%, but the office said that they would no longer see my children due to Ex Wife's non-payment.

I'm starting to get worried that Ex will take me back to court and claim that she sends me bills, and that I don't pay them.  Although I have managed to pay many, others that I never knew of were already turned over to collection by the time that I learned of them (never through her, always through the office).

I *would* call and check with their Doctors and Dentists regularly, but they are constantly changing due to her not paying what is owed.

1.  Will the high amount of bills I have paid (in opposition to the 0 that she has paid) demonstrate to the Judge that I am making every effort to get these bills paid?  Even though she is not informaing me of the bills?

2.  At the last dental office, she put me down as the responsible party.  That means I'm responsible for my half AND her half...which will never get paid.  I don't want to go to collections as a result.  Is this legal?  

3.  If #2 is not legal, what can I do to keep from being put down as the responsible party?

[socrateaser]

>I am NCP, Ex Wife has full legal and physical custody.  I
>have EOW and 50% holiday visitation.
>
>Parties in GA.
>
>Paperwork states that I am responsible for all insurance and
>50% of all uncovered medical costs.  Paperwork also states
>that CP has 30 days to remit receipts to me and that I then
>have 30 days to remit 50% of payment to Doctor / Dental
>office, or to her.
>
>Over the course of 2 years, CP has remitted maybe 1 out of
>every 10 bills to me so that I can pay 50%.  These are usually
>the co-pays that she wants to be reimbursed on.  Other than
>that, she has allowed bills to pile up at doctor and dental
>offices.
>
>When I ask for any bills, I never reveive any receipts, bill
>totals, etc.
>
>She never pays her outstanding bills at these offices and as a
>result my children are being denied medical / dental care at
>several facilities.  
>
>Whenever offices do contact me, I quickly send in my 50% and
>have paperwork to prove this.
>
>Today I received a bill from another dental office in the
>amount of 400.00.........the result of a year of non-payment.
>I promptly paid my 50%, but the office said that they would no
>longer see my children due to Ex Wife's non-payment.
>
>I'm starting to get worried that Ex will take me back to court
>and claim that she sends me bills, and that I don't pay them.
>Although I have managed to pay many, others that I never knew
>of were already turned over to collection by the time that I
>learned of them (never through her, always through the
>office).
>
>I *would* call and check with their Doctors and Dentists
>regularly, but they are constantly changing due to her not
>paying what is owed.
>
>1.  Will the high amount of bills I have paid (in opposition
>to the 0 that she has paid) demonstrate to the Judge that I am
>making every effort to get these bills paid?  Even though she
>is not informaing me of the bills?

Maybe. It's a good argument.

>
>2.  At the last dental office, she put me down as the
>responsible party.  That means I'm responsible for my half AND
>her half...which will never get paid.  I don't want to go to
>collections as a result.  Is this legal?  

Not without your consent or a court order. It's a fraud on the physician, because your ex is attempting to induce the physician's reliance on your responsibility for payment, when you are not entirely responsible.

>
>3.  If #2 is not legal, what can I do to keep from being put
>down as the responsible party?

I'd go back to court for a clarification order stating that failure to submit a receipt for healthcare services within the required 30 days operates to bar future recovery, and that ex is not to use you as the responsible party on the provider forms, on grounds that your ex's present routine creates conditions whereby you remain completely unware of bills for services until after interest charges accrue and the service provider starts a collection process.

[lovindad]

Thanks Soc, this is great information.

A few more questions pertaining to the subject, if you have the time.

1. If Ex were to take me back to court and claim that she has remitted the bills to me, and that I have neglected to pay, could she make an attempt to raise child support in order to pay the bills?

2.  What documentation would I need to have to prove that I have paid my portion of the bills as soon as I learned of them?  

3.  When I get receipts from the offices, should I have them note what I have paid and what she has paid?  They always willingly tell me that she has paid nothing, but I didn't know if this was unethical on their part to disclose her payment history to me.

Thanks Soc.

[lovindad]

I am NCP, Ex Wife has full legal and physical custody.  I have EOW and 50% holiday visitation.

Parties in GA.

Paperwork states that I am responsible for all insurance and 50% of all uncovered medical costs.  Paperwork also states that CP has 30 days to remit receipts to me and that I then have 30 days to remit 50% of payment to Doctor / Dental office, or to her.

Over the course of 2 years, CP has remitted maybe 1 out of every 10 bills to me so that I can pay 50%.  These are usually the co-pays that she wants to be reimbursed on.  Other than that, she has allowed bills to pile up at doctor and dental offices.

When I ask for any bills, I never reveive any receipts, bill totals, etc.

She never pays her outstanding bills at these offices and as a result my children are being denied medical / dental care at several facilities.  

Whenever offices do contact me, I quickly send in my 50% and have paperwork to prove this.

Today I received a bill from another dental office in the amount of 400.00.........the result of a year of non-payment.  I promptly paid my 50%, but the office said that they would no longer see my children due to Ex Wife's non-payment.

I'm starting to get worried that Ex will take me back to court and claim that she sends me bills, and that I don't pay them.  Although I have managed to pay many, others that I never knew of were already turned over to collection by the time that I learned of them (never through her, always through the office).

I *would* call and check with their Doctors and Dentists regularly, but they are constantly changing due to her not paying what is owed.

1.  Will the high amount of bills I have paid (in opposition to the 0 that she has paid) demonstrate to the Judge that I am making every effort to get these bills paid?  Even though she is not informaing me of the bills?

2.  At the last dental office, she put me down as the responsible party.  That means I'm responsible for my half AND her half...which will never get paid.  I don't want to go to collections as a result.  Is this legal?  

3.  If #2 is not legal, what can I do to keep from being put down as the responsible party?

[socrateaser]

>I am NCP, Ex Wife has full legal and physical custody.  I
>have EOW and 50% holiday visitation.
>
>Parties in GA.
>
>Paperwork states that I am responsible for all insurance and
>50% of all uncovered medical costs.  Paperwork also states
>that CP has 30 days to remit receipts to me and that I then
>have 30 days to remit 50% of payment to Doctor / Dental
>office, or to her.
>
>Over the course of 2 years, CP has remitted maybe 1 out of
>every 10 bills to me so that I can pay 50%.  These are usually
>the co-pays that she wants to be reimbursed on.  Other than
>that, she has allowed bills to pile up at doctor and dental
>offices.
>
>When I ask for any bills, I never reveive any receipts, bill
>totals, etc.
>
>She never pays her outstanding bills at these offices and as a
>result my children are being denied medical / dental care at
>several facilities.  
>
>Whenever offices do contact me, I quickly send in my 50% and
>have paperwork to prove this.
>
>Today I received a bill from another dental office in the
>amount of 400.00.........the result of a year of non-payment.
>I promptly paid my 50%, but the office said that they would no
>longer see my children due to Ex Wife's non-payment.
>
>I'm starting to get worried that Ex will take me back to court
>and claim that she sends me bills, and that I don't pay them.
>Although I have managed to pay many, others that I never knew
>of were already turned over to collection by the time that I
>learned of them (never through her, always through the
>office).
>
>I *would* call and check with their Doctors and Dentists
>regularly, but they are constantly changing due to her not
>paying what is owed.
>
>1.  Will the high amount of bills I have paid (in opposition
>to the 0 that she has paid) demonstrate to the Judge that I am
>making every effort to get these bills paid?  Even though she
>is not informaing me of the bills?

Maybe. It's a good argument.

>
>2.  At the last dental office, she put me down as the
>responsible party.  That means I'm responsible for my half AND
>her half...which will never get paid.  I don't want to go to
>collections as a result.  Is this legal?  

Not without your consent or a court order. It's a fraud on the physician, because your ex is attempting to induce the physician's reliance on your responsibility for payment, when you are not entirely responsible.

>
>3.  If #2 is not legal, what can I do to keep from being put
>down as the responsible party?

I'd go back to court for a clarification order stating that failure to submit a receipt for healthcare services within the required 30 days operates to bar future recovery, and that ex is not to use you as the responsible party on the provider forms, on grounds that your ex's present routine creates conditions whereby you remain completely unware of bills for services until after interest charges accrue and the service provider starts a collection process.

[lovindad]

Thanks Soc, this is great information.

A few more questions pertaining to the subject, if you have the time.

1. If Ex were to take me back to court and claim that she has remitted the bills to me, and that I have neglected to pay, could she make an attempt to raise child support in order to pay the bills?

2.  What documentation would I need to have to prove that I have paid my portion of the bills as soon as I learned of them?  

3.  When I get receipts from the offices, should I have them note what I have paid and what she has paid?  They always willingly tell me that she has paid nothing, but I didn't know if this was unethical on their part to disclose her payment history to me.

Thanks Soc.

[socrateaser]

>Thanks Soc, this is great information.
>
>A few more questions pertaining to the subject, if you have
>the time.
>
>1. If Ex were to take me back to court and claim that she has
>remitted the bills to me, and that I have neglected to pay,
>could she make an attempt to raise child support in order to
>pay the bills?

Yes, if she can prove that you owe on the bills. But, she's court ordered to send the bills within 30 days. So, after that, the bills are presumably her problem.

>
>2.  What documentation would I need to have to prove that I
>have paid my portion of the bills as soon as I learned of
>them?  

I'm thinking that you could send her a monthly statement of all the bills you have received for the previous month, with a comment such as: if you have bills that are not included on this list, please present them within the next 5 days or I will presume that this statement is accurate.

Then, if she comes back later and presents a bill, you can say, "Sorry, more than 30 days old."

Then, keep the canceled checks for the statement's you've paid, and that will give you an audit trail that the court can follow.

>
>3.  When I get receipts from the offices, should I have them
>note what I have paid and what she has paid?  They always
>willingly tell me that she has paid nothing, but I didn't know
>if this was unethical on their part to disclose her payment
>history to me.

Yes, if you can. Some physicians won't break the bill in half, others will.