In Need of Health Insurance!

Dear M.,
I'm a little confused on whether you need health insurance for the kids or just for you. If for the kids, luckily PA has CHIPS to cover all children. If your problem is finding insurance for you, Blue Cross/Blue Shield offers programs for individuals, including special rates for people with lower incomes. They may have family plans too. (I think it's Blue Cross; it's different in different areas. Try contacting your local representative or google something like "individual health insurance PA".
Good luck!
W.

I'm guessing this is one of those things that differs from state to state. I'm in NY and in a similar situation. I live with my boyfriend but since we aren't married and I don't work, financially I'm seen as a single, unemployed mom. I qualify for Medicaid and my daughter (who's 2 1/2) is covered by Child Health Plus. He COULD cover us, the option is availiable thru his employer to cover domestic partners and of course, his own daughter, but the portion they'd expect him to pay monthly towards the "family plan" is astronomical. He only insures himself. A lot of working parents in NY still earn low enought o qualify for the Child Health Plus for their children. I think the cutoff is around $60k; higher incomes pay towards it and lower incomes get free....graduating scale. I hope you get responses from PA people who know more. I got the most info here by contacting the benefits coordinators at a local hospital and at my Doc's office. They are the most up-to-date on these topics!

If the court ordered your ex to pay for health insurance, thenhe doesn't have a choice. He has to cover you all regardless of the cost or he will be held in contempt of court. You need to talk to the court and tell them what is happening. He can't just do what he feels like when the court has ordered him to do something.

You need to go to your county's Department of Social Services as soon as possible and fill out an application for Medicaid for both yourself and your children. If the only income you recieve is alimony then you should qualify. If you apply for Child Health Plus or family health plus, you will just be told that you have to go and apply for Medicaid. I have the number for the different counties that I can give to you if you need it and you can make an appointment and apply directly. If you have a lawyer than I would talk to the lawyer about it as well but I know how scary not having health insurance can be so that is the first step that you should take. Also... if you do want and need to gain employment then you should have able to get your soon to be ex to have to pay at least half and if you do not want to try that than there are programs that will help pay for daycare for your kids so that you can work and will be able to actually survive. (Daycare costs are silly if you are one family income, i know). If you need info on any of that let me know as well. My husband is going to school full time so I am the only income in my family so I know the struggles of health insurance, day care and the like. Let me know if I can be of any help. Good luck. Let us know how it all works out.

Make sure you keep a written record of ALL correspondance from both the insurance company and medicaid! I'd also call your lawyer and see if the hearing can be moved up, since it is urgent. The court may order your husband to reinstate the insurance; he also should be responsible for the costs over the last year. I don't know what state you live in, but New York State has a program called Child Health Plus, that is free to those who qualify-There is an adult health program also... Good Luck! E.

What you need to do is get ahold of your lawyer or go to the court house and talk to someone and tell them that he is cancelling your health insurence since it is court ordered he might have to pay for all your scripts and dr visits

http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/chip/index.html

theres a site I found for it its called CHIPS & will probably help you out, good luck:)

Check into child health care plus through the state. It will at least cover your children. I think families who make less then $40,000/yr can get health insurance for there children at little or no cost depending on your income. Go to http://www.healthplus-ny.org/en/index_ENG_HTML.html
I think they also offer family plans. Good luck.

I'm sorry to say, but your husband does not have a choice in the matter as far as health insurance is concerned. If it is court ordered, he has to continue to provide it, regardless of the cost. The only way that will change is if the judge says he doesn't have too. and in that time period that you supposedly didn't have the insurance that he somehow forgot to tell you about, then you need to keep all of the bills that you receive and submit them to his lawyer. If you do ever get medicade, whatever was accumulated 3 months before you we're approved for medicade, they will pay those bills. But it sounds like your ex is trying to take the easy wayout and apparently he doesn't care about the kids if he's not keeping the medical insurance going. so god forbid if anything happens, you would be stuck with the bills until something is set up that states what he's responsible for medically, education wise, and whatever else. and alimony is not to pay medical expenses, it's for you to survive, and since your not working, that money would help even more :) i'm sorry about the divorce, i've been through it, and i got screwed more or less, but i have full custody of my son, so thats all that matters! good luck, and i hope this helped :)

Dear M.,

Please go back to your lawyer or to court. He cannot legally drop the health care as he was court ordered to maintain it. Did the children have an advocate for them during the divorce- I don't know where you are from but where I am the courts usually place an advocate to ensure the best for the children. Please contact the advocate or family court to find out what your rights are as far as following the court order.

L.

Hi M.,
Im so sorry to hear of your situation and hope that things get better soon. I cant understand though, if your ex was ordered to maintain health insurance, why is it that he dropped the policy? I would take him right to court and have him ordered to cover at least those children. In the mean time there are places out there that can help. I know my sister had some problems with insurance coverage and she found something called the CHIPS program. It coveres children through CDPHP. I think the premium is based on your income. It may be something to check into. Hope this helps. Good luck to you & your children.

If in the court paper it state he has to have insurance you and the children then the court will make him reinstate it and if it does then he is liable for most of the bill due to him being employed read over your paper work and get ahold of your child support case worker they will help you. My ex change job where they wouldn't cover my sons condition on perpose well now he pays for all of the exspenses plus 150 a week

K.

hey M. my name is S. and i have twin girls but i am writing you on the health insurance issue have you tried CHIP it's PA health insurance and it doesn't matter how much you make as far as household income you may have to pat alittle or nothing but your kids will be covered if you want more info do a search for pa children health insurance you can get insurance for the kids as long as they are under 19 years of age which yours are and blue cross blue sheild and unison both are in the program and let me tell you they cover everything including co pays and such also you can apply by internet or postal mail or by phone but i am not sure on the website thought but like i said look up CHIP (children health insurance program) and you will find all that out and as far as yourself you can get info about adult basic but there is a waiting list but again if you need more info just let me know i wish you the best of luck take care