Child support payments cover many of the normal expenses involved in raising a child. Any parent who receives these payments can tell you that there are many costs of raising a child that aren’t covered by child support. One area that can be particularly troublesome is medical care.
Oftentimes, one parent has to include the child on their health insurance. This covers some of the costs of getting the child medical care. However, there are still some other expenses that will come with getting this care. Co-pays, deductibles and uninsured medical costs are some of the ones that have to be paid out of pocket.
As part of the divorce agreements and orders related to the children, there should be instructions on how these expenses will be handled. Typically, one parent will pay the expense and then the other parent will reimburse that parent for their portion.
Since money matters can often turn contentious, it is best to have the full plan outlined in the parenting plan or custody agreement. The more detailed your plan, the better you might be able to handle the situation.
There are often specific conditions that must be met in order to receive reimbursement. Many support orders have stipulations that require the expense to be reasonable. In some instances, elective medical costs (such as orthodontia) won’t be split unless both parents explicitly agree to the procedure.
Many different factors can impact these cases. You should review the child custody and support order to determine what you can do if you’ve paid for an uninsured medical cost and think your ex should pay for part. The document will also let you know if you are responsible for any reimbursements made to your ex.
