Insurance Issues - Buffalo,NY

I know when I was pregnant, I tried to get help from the state when I was laid off. They wanted to know who the father was because they said its his job to also help out. I lied and said I didn't know who he was. I still didn't get any help, because they system sucks and it had nothing to do with me not giving his name up.

I don't know if they will sue the father, but they will go after him and get what they can out of him to help pay the state back.

Why does it matter?

Somebody is paying the bills. It isn't "the state" or "medicaid"... it is taxpayers. I don't know ALL the ins and outs of the system.. but if you two are married, I don't see how they are going to sue him, because they will have taken his financial situation into account when you applied for benefits on behalf of your child, correct? If you are not married and he isn't providing adequately for his child, why shouldn't he be sued to contribute towards the health care services for HIS baby?

I certainly am not trying to sound mean, and I don't have a problem with tax money being used to assist with the health care of innocent children when it is needed. But I DO have an issue with one parent not wanting the other parent to be held responsible for the costs. Somebody has to pay for it. Why SHOULDN"T he be expected to reimburse the expenses paid on behalf of his child? I just don't understand...

I have never heard of such a thing. I know if you apply for medicaid, your local board of human services may go after the father for child support, but thats for your benefit.

From my experience, as well as knowing my friends experiences, the only time they go after the father is if you are looking for cash & home assistance. Medicaid isn't in the same category as those. On the application they ask you if you get child support, but that's it. They budget it into your income. Unless he's your husband he's not a big factor in insurance. Hope this helps.

Updated

J., I just wrote you a comment but after reading some of the other comments, I felt I needed to say something else. Its a shame that people automatically judge a stranger from a simple question. Before you judge, you should think about all the possible reasons why someone would want to know something. There are a lot of people who are scammers, but there are also decent people who just aren't as fortunate.

I don't know Jenns situation but how do you know her & the father don't both work, but still don't have enough to buy insurance. Do you know if there employers provide insurance. NON you don't. Maybe because they don't make enough, and he was sued, that money is coming out the childs mouth, but in all reality, it could be used for food or something.

That was just a little scenario that could be true for some, you should stop reading more into a question then what is there. If you feel a certain way about someone's question, don't answer it unless your gonna look at everything & every angle and not be a judge, on a high horse. People who have that mentality are the same people that work in these state offices, and are all nasty, and think the good ones are bad and the bad ones are good.

Updated

J., I just wrote you a comment but after reading some of the other comments, I felt I needed to say something else. Its a shame that people automatically judge a stranger from a simple question. Before you judge, you should think about all the possible reasons why someone would want to know something. There are a lot of people who are scammers, but there are also decent people who just aren't as fortunate.

I don't know Jenns situation but how do you know her & the father don't both work, but still don't have enough to buy insurance. Do you know if there employers provide insurance. NO!, you don't. Maybe because they don't make enough, and he was sued, that money is coming out the childs mouth, but in all reality, it could be used for food or something.

That was just a little scenario that could be true for some, you should stop reading more into a question then what is there. If you feel a certain way about someone's question, don't answer it unless your gonna look at everything & every angle and not be a judge, on a high horse. People who have that mentality are the same people that work in these state offices, and are all nasty, and think the good ones are bad and the bad ones are good.

J.:

I don't know about the state of NY - but I agree with Victoria....it's NOT the state that pays for it - ultimately, it's the Taxpayers...one of the problems we have with our great country is people think it's for free and it's not...WE THE PEOPLE pay for it.

If you need help - by all means, get it!!! However, like Victoria (I love the way you think!!) this is about accountability and responsibility. If the father doesn't want that - sever his rights as a father and seek the help of the state.

Do what you can to improve your situation as well. The better person you are, the better mommy you will be!

Good luck!! I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers

They don't sue he father they take him to court to pay child support and provide health insurance.

J.:

Please remember this is a public forum. So the answers you get may not be what you want to hear. Please know this is NOT a personal attack. The comments below are MY opinion.

I agree with Victoria and Cheryl...and without sounding mean or rude - it sounds like you are trying to scam the system..this is MY PERSONAL OPINION!!! I am led to this opinion because (and feel I need to state this because there are others that have taken things out of context) if the father isn't stepping up to the plate to take care of HIS CHILD, he NEEDS TO. It's not like he didn't participate in bringing this baby into the world...it takes two!! (even if you went the IVF route...) any way - it appears that you are trying to shield the father from responsibility and work the system. And in MY OPINION that is wrong.

I am all for helping others and those less fortunate...however, I am tired of people milking the system and staying on public assistance for years...instead of becoming responsible citizens...

The government is NOT a business and it is the people who do pay their taxes that support the government.....so bottom line? those of us who pay our taxes pay for those programs....

Use the system proactively - get your education so that you can better yourself and stand on your own two feet - what an example you would be setting for your child!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

Again, i will state that I am all for helping out! I truly am. I hope you are able to get the help you need. But please don't milk the system or protect the father from taking responsibility for his child.

In MO and TX and I believe most states now, if you apply for any type of state funded health insurance, then the state will require that the father be looked at first for child support because usually in child support agreements they will include the father to supply the child with health insurance. If it is determined that the father can't be a stable resource for health insurace, then they will give the child state funded health insurance.

As far as the scamming the system, no where in her question does it say that she is trying to scam the system so stop reading so much into it just to make a political statement.

In most states if the parents are not married or living together and one of the parents applies for any type of state assistance (food stamps, WIC, medical type assistance, housing, daycare assistance, etc) the state requires that the father participate in finacial care of the child, through child support. They are not sueing the father, rather legally making them responisible finacially for their child. Now just because they go after the father for the support doesn't mean that he will always pay and than well other legal problems between the state and the father will take place. They will also see if the father can provide the health care through an employer or financially able to pay for it as well. These programs are paid for by taxpayer and the state has to make every attempt to gather finaces from all parental parties involved before seeking finacial/medical assistance through the government.

No the father won't get sued but if you are income eligible for Medicaid you can not get Child Health Plus. If you are eligible for Child Health Plus they want to know which parent is responsible for providing health insurance (mom or dad) and may ask to see court papers stating that it is your responsibility.

Someone has to pay the piper right? If you are on any type of public aid they will try to compensate the money from either the father or you later on down the road.