Dental Question...

[lori509]

Current hubby and I are paying above 10 grand for braces for my twin daughters. (I live in Wa state) According to our state medical is an obligation of both parents but I'm not sure if that includes dental? I asked their Bio father if he would put them on his dental ins. offered at his work. At first he said it would be no problem because it would cost him fourteen dollars a month. We figured that anything our dental ins we have for the kids ($140 a month) and his combined would lower the cost in the area that we could have the work done. Which we never intended to charge him for. Him helping out with the ins seemed good enough. The problem? Well he lied he never put them on dental nor does he intend too. (That was learned after over a year and a half of discussions with him) We have a provision in the child support court order that says

"....cost of uninsured medical expenses.." are to be paid by him at 57%

Again I have no idea if the courts consider medical expenses dental. Should we simply take him to small claims court? Modify the agreement and include him offering support during college years in the new modification? At this point - after a year of negotiation I'm completely up for hiring a lawyer I'm so frustrated. The crazy part is this is all over him breaking his original agreement of $14 bucks a month. Geesh...

Any advice out there?

Oh by the way the braces are not medically necessary specifically however the girls have an obscenely large overbite and we've already shelled out $4000 dollars on spreaders that they put in before the braces are even being discussed....

[Gbyte]

Not medically necessary. Typcially costs are only shared if the parties agree to share them, unless braces or cosmetic procedures were specified in the papers he doesn't have to share expenses.

Can't he do dental now? Dental insurance usually doesn't cover much though...especially cosmetic procedures. My insurance has a $1000 a year max. It doesn't cover braces at all.

[lori509]

you know your right.. I wish he's actually said that ortho was not covered by his insurance (I would have done nothing) In the case of the Ins. I put on the kiddos they do cover ortho up to 1500 (a piece) but yesterday I got his insurance stuff and his doesn't. (He still didn't put them on but the state forced him to put him on med ins & his dental info was in there and his sounds very similar to yours.)

I appreciate the info on the agreement issue. Boy I wish I could have some of this offset it's a huge investment for these little gals but I guess this is why parenting costs so much.

Thanks for you take.

[spinmaster61]

Make em say ummmm. make em pay! 57% aint enough. A little bit more would be better.