A spin off of Sheldon's CS blog...medical costs
Do you think that Dad's part of medical expenses should be covered by CS?
I think medical costs and CS are two different things and should be treated as such.
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I agree, with the condition
I agree, with the condition that non-medically necessary procedures/items should require consent by both parties if costs are to be split (ie, Invisalign, eye contacts, etc).
ETA: I think the cost of basic medical insurance should be included in child support calculations. I do not think out of pocket costs above/beyond that should be considered; they should be handled separately.
I think its situational. If
I think its situational. If the custodial parent can get better insurance for cheaper....then just include ncp's portion of the cost in with child support.
If ncp is ordered to provide insurance then its separate.
I don't think braces are
I don't think braces are always necessary, but I do think they can really help kids in the long run. I had them. My SDs had them. They really straightened our teeth out and made our smiles look beautiful. They really gave us boosts in our confidence. I know of some people who got picked on as teens because they had crooked teeth and other body issues. I know a lot of people who wish they had braces as a kid.
I agree. I get that a kid
I agree. I get that a kid could survive without straight teeth, but I've seen what some of those kids go through. If a kid has horrible teeth, get them the braces and save them a childhood of teasing/embarrassment.
Yes, I completely agree.
Yes, I completely agree. Really jacked up teeth can really limit a person professionally. How many professionals....drs, lawyers, financial services etc...have you ever seen with horrible teeth? None probably.
Yeah, they aren't necessary in the "kid will die without it" sense....but I wouldn't say they are cosmetic only in the way a boob job is or botox.
Yeah, I do see it as a bit of
Yeah, I do see it as a bit of a grey area. I can see the arguments both ways.
I think the problem is that there is a tendency for ncp to refuse to pay for anything not court ordered. So if it wasn't court ordered the vast majority of ncp wouldn't contribute a dime to stuff like braces, extra curricular, or college.....when maybe they would have if the family was intact. Not saying its right or wrong that the court requires it....just pondering out loud.
Well child support is for day
Well child support is for day to day living. How many times as adults we have to adjust our budget to cover our own medical?? Child support would be higher if it covered medical as well.
We are gearing up for the
We are gearing up for the braces debate. BM has already told SD she would need braces because of some nonsense of how her jaw is shaped. Seriously the woman is not a dentist/orthodontist. But plant that seed in SD's head and all of a sudden she will die without braces, she is a bit of a hypochondriac. She has gotten loads better but she is still pretty bad.
Anyways braces aren't cheap and SO will be the one footing the bill if and when SD may need braces. So it just irritates me that BM is already telling SD she "needs braces" given that she has never even taken her to the dentist in the last 5 years!!!
I know it has got to be
I know it has got to be frustrating but I hope your SO will not automatically just say no to braces. Like I said before, kids do get picked on for that stuff. Plus, if she hasn't been to the dentist in 5 years, her teeth may well require other medical treatments. So many kids get picked on because of their appearance. Braces can really help a person's self-esteem in the long run.
I feel that they are two
I feel that they are two different things. Medical covers medical and CS covers food, clothes, some rent, and what belongings Skid{s} needs. But I also think CS is over rated especially when the other bio is on welfare but its the dead beat parents who make that bad for everyone who pays CS.
I have an inner wish that parents who collect CS can't receive welfare too. IMO it just rewards behaviors of adults having more kids. Like many things in life..there is no healthy balance.
DH's CO states that he is to
DH's CO states that he is to provide medical insurance for the skids. All co-pays are to be divided 50/50, with receipts provided.
Currently DH covers the skids on his company's insurance. BM has the skids on Medicaid, she prefers this as there are no co-pays etc. DH keeps the skids insured because he is court ordered to. There are no stipulations regarding braces, BM has convinced SS13 he needs them but she can't pay for them, so DH should. Not in the CO, not going to pay for them.