J.F. asks from Lansing, MI on December 04, 2006
Child Support Problems
The short version: My daughter was born on with Medicaid as a secondary insurance. Now Im getting paperwork in the mail saying I have to make her father pay child support. We are not married yet, but we are living together and plan to be married soon. I called and told them I did not want to start a child support case. They said I had to because I used medicaid for the labor and delivery. I said we would gladly pay what we were responsible for and to just send us a statement. They claim they can't do it that way and I HAVE to make him pay child support. They wont tell us how much we owe and they won't let us pay it off. I asked what they could do if I didn't show up and they told me they would cut off my daughters insurance (she is only going to be on Medicaid until May) and "sanction" me so I would never recieve assitance again. Im not even recieving assistance now! I don't plan on needing it ever (unless something tragic happens and I have no choice). Plus they claim they will open a case on behalf of my daughter anyways. I don't know how this works, but I was just wondering if anyone had any knowledge on the subject. Like I said, we will gladly pay what we owe, but I do not want my husband-to-be labled as a dead-beat dad and forced to go throught the court system from now untill our baby is 18! PLEASE HELP! Should I get a lawyer?!?!?!?
1 mom found this helpful
So What Happened?™
Thank you to everyone who responded. We went to the interview yesterday and it turns out the hospital made a mistake and put that we were married on the birth certificate. Turns out he wasn't even her legal father thanks to the hospital! We got that fixed, and he will have to pay back a percentage of the birth expenses unless we get married, then they will waive it. I don't see how that makes any sense, but whatever! So now it's $22/week until its paid off, but they still don't have a total. According to the caseworker, the state has a year to produce those documents. It's frusterating, but I just want it squared away. Thanks again for all your helpful advice!
Featured Answers
R.C. answers from Grand Rapids on February 02, 2007
Seems simple, you have the house and kid already why don't you just get married? You don't need a lawyer, the State is not going to change their policy.
S.S. answers from Saginaw on January 14, 2007
You should get a lawyer. What they are trying to do is bullspit! It's horrible that we live in a world that they even try to do that when you are with the father. Women actually get more help if they do not have man in their life... It's wrong and I think that they should get their butts handed to them! I hope that everything works out for you.
K.Q. answers from Saginaw on December 24, 2006
They did the same thing to me with my oldest daughter which is now five years old. I never responded when they told me I had to open a case against him. I dropped it like it never came up and they didnt do anything about it.
I completely understand how that would label him and thats not right. They need to look at the circumstances of the situation before deciding what to do.
Good luck!
More Answers
S.S. answers from Detroit on December 20, 2006
Replied then saw that everything was fine.I am so glad to see that!
D.K. answers from Lansing on December 04, 2006
As far as I know it is just something that the system does no matter what. They are not concerned with what you want. They truely are looking out for the best interest of the child(they think). And in some case it is truly needed. It would be easier on everyone if you just went with it. In the end, when you get married, it can then be canceled. But the state will still make sure that they get there money first. I don't mean to sound harsh, but I went through a very similar thing when I had my son. I never found no way around it. Good luck
P.T. answers from Grand Rapids on January 22, 2007
WOW...they are really giving you a hard time. My 'hubby' and I are not legally married but we live together and when our son was born, we had no insurance either because I was still in school and he was working part time at the time. Child Support did sent me some papers for a support order but I called them and told them that we are living together thus he is supporting our son nonetheless.
And that was IT!!! Our son is almost 1yr old now and I haven't got anything about having my 'hubby' pay for part of the delivery cost nor have I gotten any more letters for child support order.
I really don't know why they are giving you such a hard time!! Since you plan on getting marry soon, I strongly suggest that instead of getting a lawyer, which can be very expensive, just get your marriage license.
Hope I was of some help.
S.S. answers from Saginaw on January 14, 2007
You should get a lawyer. What they are trying to do is bullspit! It's horrible that we live in a world that they even try to do that when you are with the father. Women actually get more help if they do not have man in their life... It's wrong and I think that they should get their butts handed to them! I hope that everything works out for you.
V.M. answers from Kalamazoo on December 12, 2006
they have a thing called my child you can get 4 her they cant make u have him pay support an they dont ask alot for payments on back child support for insurance for my child insurance call this number they will help u the number is 1 888 988 6300
J.S. answers from Grand Rapids on January 11, 2007
Glad to hear it all worked out!!!
D.T. answers from Detroit on December 04, 2006
I have 5 children from 4 guys..the first guy I married when our son was a month old so medicaid paid for that, That was 21 yrs ago and he still hasn't paid it back to medicaid. The next 2 kids I didn't marry him until I had been with him 9 yrs. Medicaid also paid for them to be born. The next one gets ssi child support but his dad still hasn't paid back the medicaid for that one and my last one after 6 yrs they are finally getting him to pay but they didn't go all the way back from when she was born. I have gone to the friend of the court and signed a waiver for any back support due to me to be dropped, they dropped it. What I am getting to is try to get a lawyer that will not charge you very much because they shouldn't be telling you that you need to go after him for support because you are NOT recieving anything from the state except the insurance. My last daughter's dad has never met her and she is 6. I had the option to have him sign off on her or take the support, I chose for him to sign off but he never showed up for court. 1 1/2 yrs ago he sent me $800.00 and a few weeks ago he sent me $71.00. If all your getting is medicaid, try sending in a payment and see if they take it. Another thing...I have papers to prove that each of my cases, the men were to pay a thousand dallors back, that is it. e-mail me if you would like for me to show you those papers.
N.E. answers from Detroit on December 04, 2006
I think whoever u r talking to does not know her job! I had all of my children(5) on medicaid, my x husband and i were not married at the time ant of our 4 were born and he was never made to pay any of the medicaid charges, because we lived together and his income was supporting us and used to make us eligible for medicaid! My girls are now 14,14,12 and 9, but My 2 yr old was also born on medicaid and her dad lives with us and his income was used to determine eligibility also and he is not getting billed for anything,We do not use medicaid any longer, but when we did i never was told they would have to pay anything back.Unless u do not live together they should not make u pay a bill or child support. unless they told u that u had a medicaid spend down amount? not really familiar with that one, but it is something like u pay so much before they will pay anything. i would definetely go dowm to FIA and have a meeting with someone. Good Luck
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