Medical drama in child custody doesn’t have to happen

Once you have gone through a divorce, you will likely have a child custody arrangement for your minor children. One aspect of this that has to be considered is the child’s medical care. There are several different points that you need to think about when it comes to this facet of the child custody case.

First, you need to decide who is going to have the health insurance coverage on the child. This point is usually covered in the child support order, so review it to find out what it says. It is important that the health insurance policy is kept up so that the child can get medical care whenever necessary.

Second, a decision about who is going to pay for other medical costs that aren’t covered by insurance must be made. These costs can include deductibles and co-pays. It can also include uninsured expenses. Typically, the parent who has the child when the expense is incurred will have to cover the cost. There should be something in the child support or custody order that stipulates how these reimbursements should be handled. If not, this should be discussed and agreed upon as soon as possible.

Third, you have to decide who is going to make medical decisions for the child. This can be difficult, especially when the child has challenging health issues. Besides discussions about normal medical decisions, a plan must be made for what is going to happen if there is an emergency.

If you and your ex can’t decide on these points, it might be necessary to turn to the courts for guidance. This can help you have a plan that can reduce strife regarding medical decisions for your child.

Source: Our Family Wizard, “3 Key Topics on Managing a Child’s Medical Care After Divorce,” accessed Oct. 12, 2017