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I hope that someone can help me. I have searched and searched and can't find the answer.
My disabled husband has 2 children from his previous marriage and I have been carring them on my insurance for 4 years. It is costing me $300 a week to keep them covered. I can't afford it any more.
As a step-mom, am I responsible for their health insurance???
Thanks in advance,
Step-mom2010
I'm no lawyer but no, it's their father's responsibility (if that is what was ordered in the judgment from their divorce). Sounds like he has been providing it through you and if you cannot provide your husband still has to. If you cannot afford it through work I believe there are low cost programs through the state.
If you do not qualify for Medicaid, there is LAChip.
If you do not qualify for LAChip, there is LAChip Affordable Health Plan.
Why in the world would you cover step children that you have no legal responsibility for unless you adopted them?
Find out for sure what the court order states and honestly, I wonder if he has been going against the court order all this time having "you" provide the health insurance and not him directly, even though you are married.
I would contact an attorney, tell him the issue and ask for guidance as far as the legal steps go.
I hope that someone can help me. I have searched and searched and can't find the answer.
My disabled husband has 2 children from his previous marriage and I have been carring them on myinsurance for 4 years. It is costing me $300 a week to keep them covered. I can't afford it any more.
As a step-mom, am I responsible for their health insurance???
Thanks in advance,
Step-mom2010
Unless, you have some type of unusual private insurance I do not see how your husband's children even can be on your insurance because they are not related to you. Even with private, not job related, insurance how can you possibly cover children that you are not legally responsible for? (it would be like adding all the neighborhood children to your health insurance policy, it can't be done)
Quote:
Originally Posted by CSD610
Why in the world would you cover step children that you have no legal responsibility for unless you adopted them?
Find out for sure what the court order states and honestly, I wonder if he has been going against the courtorder allthis time having "you" provide the health insurance and not him directly , even though you are married.
I would contact an attorney, tell him the issue and ask for guidance as far as the legal steps go.
I agree, check with an attorney. To my knowledge, you would not have any legal responsibility at all in this matter.
I hope that someone can help me. I have searched and searched and can't find the answer.
My disabled husband has 2 children from his previous marriage and I have been carring them on my insurance for 4 years. It is costing me $300 a week to keep them covered. I can't afford it any more.
As a step-mom, am I responsible for their health insurance???
Thanks in advance,
Step-mom2010
More info please. Where is their mom? $300/week? You are being taken. Find them an Obamacare plan.
I don't see why people think it is crazy that this mom is insuring her step kids. It makes sense if they are dependent children living in her house. My husband was eligible for military dependent benefits when his mom married his step dad. I'm pretty sure people usually have the option of insuring any dependent children who live in their home.
The money you make is shared. I'm not sure how that applies to his kids, but I would imagine if he is responsible for them, the money you make would also go towards them.
But it seems like this would be a topic to have with hubby...or, if not him, a lawyer.
Maybe, I am misreading or misunderstanding her post, but when she refers to HER insurance policy, HER policy (such as a policy from work) would only cover her husband and her children, not his children from a previous marriage no matter where they lived, not her mother or her nieces or nephews or other random children even if they lived in the same house. Perhaps, it is different in the military or in different states.
Now, if step-mom is taking out and paying for a private, separate insurance policy just for his children that is a different matter. I agree that her husband should check out coverage through the Affordable Health Care Act for his children.
This step mom might be a legal guardian. That's possible w/o her adopting them.
First, you need a copy of your husband's divorce decree and any other filed documents relating to child support, welfare, parenting plan and maintenance.
Even if the court decreed that your husband was responsible for picking up insurance on his children, the court allows for a "change of circumstance." This can mean either party files when something substantially changes in the living situation of EITHER former spouse. If your husband has lost his job or became disabled after this decree was issued, those two events qualify as a "change in circumstance."
You would be best served by consulting an attorney (can you make an appointment through your employer's EAP?) I had an acquaintance in a similar circumstance and she simply quit paying for the children's insurance, notified the mother of the children and the mother filled out papers to have her children placed in CHIPs, an insurance program available at that time in the state where the children lived. However, all this was done after consulting with an attorney.
This step mom might be a legal guardian. That's possible w/o her adopting them.
Thanks, I never considered that possibility. It may have been clearer to readers, if that was the case, for the OP to mention it.
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