question - children w/o insurance

[littlered1]

This is about a child without health insurance.
Child is almost 2 and hasn't been to the doctor's for any shots since about maybe 6 months old. She doesn't have state health insurance because the mom said they cut her off because she would not give them a father's name for the assistance papers.
I don't think they can do that but I may be wrong.

This child is my granddaughter, and I might know who her father is... would it be wrong of me to just do the paper work myself?
What would you do in my case?

[vicky122]

I don't think you could do the paper work. They might cut her off if she isn't giving them the fathers info. Can't she go to a health clinic? Here they either don't charge or any charge 15.00. If you could do the paper work I don't think it would be wrong at all. When you are talking about the state do you mean the medical card? Because don't they have another one that kids can get?

[Urban Cowgirl]

Up here the state can cut your assistance if you refuse to give the Father's info, they use that info to garnish funds from the Father.


IMO its wrong for the Mother to not give up that info to get the assistance she needs. Not getting her baby the shots and check ups is wrong, IMO its a form of neglect.

Hope you can get this resolved for the sake of the child.

[ElleGee]

This is about a child without health insurance.
Child is almost 2 and hasn't been to the doctor's for any shots since about maybe 6 months old. She doesn't have state health insurance because the mom said they cut her off because she would not give them a father's name for the assistance papers.
I don't think they can do that but I may be wrong.

This child is my granddaughter, and I might know who her father is... would it be wrong of me to just do the paper work myself?
What would you do in my case?

Yes they can cut her off for not giving the father's info.. They need the father's info to go for child support. If she is on state assistance other than medical part of his child support goes twards the health insurance/assistance. If he has insurance thru his job they will make him ( court ordered when the state takes him in for child support) put the child on his insurance and it will save the state money.

So bonus for your grandchild. Child support and insurance

[littlered1]

She isn't on any assistance, she works partime and can't get insurance from her job.
I also feel like it is a form of neglect. Which is the problem I am having with this whole issue.
I have tried talking to her about this but for some reason she wont budge at all.

[meltodd69]

I don't know if its different from state to state.
I know this girl here. She lives with her babies daddy, has been for years. Before she got pregnant with her second they cut her benefits off because she refused to file for child support. They did not take her sons benefits though, just hers. Well of course living with the guy she got pregnant again. She automatically got her benefits back.
So from my understanding they can cut the parent off, but not the child. The child should not suffer because of the parent.

I will never understand these girls. To choose a man over your child, just so he isn't inconvenienced. I use the term man lightly here. If he was being a man taking care of business, there would be no need for assistance. Tell her to take care of that baby. He isn't going to.

This child is 2 and hasn't been to the dr since 6 mths. I would be afraid they would get me for neglect.

[littlered1]

I think I would be the only one to turn her in though.
The guy she lives with plays daddy but knows she might not be his and she could belong to either a guy that was in the army with my daughter.
or a guy that used to be my friend but wont talk to me anymore because he knows he might be the daddy, he has said he will run for the rest of his life before he will pay support. He is also on probabtion so I don't think he would be too hard to find.

I'm just so pissed about the whole thing! I know she came first in my life and I made a lot of sacrifices for her. Thats how kids should be raised!

[ElleGee]

:hug

[krisharry]

I think it's a shame that she is probably putting her own feelings toward the father ahead of the needs of her child. I hope you can convince her to do the right thing here. That baby needs a well visit asap.

[Urban Cowgirl]

My niece was on medical insurance through the state and they did bill the father for some of what they covered.

[buglebe]

Maybe she isn't sure who the father is and doesn't want the embarrassment of asking the possible fathers to take DNA test or maybe it is someone you don't even know about.

[YankeeMary]

It isn't pretty but couldn't she just say she doesn't know who the father might be? Like she went out to the bar one night and had a one night stand? Like Vicky stated, have her take the baby to the health clinic or even call around. I know for a fact in Georgia the state gives all docs/ped FREE vaccines if they see children. The dr. office can decide to charge or give them for free. But they (docs) aren't allowed to charge any more then $12.00 for those vaccines. They are allowed to charge a small fee for the needles. Good luck.

[ahippiechic]

In TN and here in AZ they have free vaccination clinics at most malls. No paper work, no charges, nothing. All you need is their shot record. Also there are a lot of clinic that charge on sliding scale according to income. Not having insurance isn't an excuse not to have your baby vaccinated.

And yes, most asst programs will discontinue it if you don't provide the father's info, so they can recoup some of what they give you for your child. If you're not sure, they order the paternity test & pay for it.

[diana_circe]

I know in Nebraska they will cut assistance off if the parent doesn't provide the absent parent's information. My sister in law received a letter that her assistance will be cut off if she doesn't provide info on her daughter's father. Which is stupid because the state of KY has all that info and he hasn't paid child support in about 7 years. She doesn't have his soc, know where he works or have any way of contacting him.

[prcsanglas]

try this link:
http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2943_52115---,00.html

says they have free and low cost doctors etc.. Also see if your state has a CHIP program. If not that poor baby is gonna hate when they start school and have to get caught up on all those shots at one or two visits.

[JewRican]

IMO not giving vaccines and not taking a child to well baby visits isn't neglect. My youngest won't receive any vaccines until he turns 3. I don't see the point in going to the dr if we aren't sick.

[Urban Cowgirl]

IMO not giving vaccines and not taking a child to well baby visits isn't neglect. My youngest won't receive any vaccines until he turns 3. I don't see the point in going to the dr if we aren't sick.

Thos visits are for more than just vaccines. They are to make sure the child is developing properly, on tract with growth, they check hearing and many othr things.

[cpbaby]

In KY the local health departments give vaccinations on a sliding scale. They also do well baby checks. There is no reason for the baby to NOT have their shots unless the mother doesnt want them to for personal/religious reasons. (Which is her right.)


I also know that in the state of KY if the mother files for a medical card(KCHIP) and tells her case worker the child's father was abusive, they will not contact him because it would open the door for more possible abuse.

[jasmine]

There is no reason why any child should go without shots. Both of my children did not have health care when they were babies. Your local health department provides that for free, you need to contact your local health department most definetly and ask them and get her in for an apointment. Also, they can get her on the WIC program, which covers children untill the age of 5. Being on the WIC program allows your child to be atleast examined I believe twice a year, they have to do the check ups like every 6 months for the WIC program. They weigh your child, check the height, listen to the heart, prick your finger for Iron check, and also any problems that you may have with your child, you can ask them, and they could either help you, or direct you to someone that can.

[gemini26]

Health dept will do them for free or for a very low cost. All she has to do is say she doesnt know who the father is, that it was a one night stand, only knows the first name. They wont cut off the child if she says that and hopefully shes not too proud to go that route.

[JewRican]

Thos visits are for more than just vaccines. They are to make sure the child is developing properly, on tract with growth, they check hearing and many othr things.

If H had any problems developmentally, he would have been seen by a dr. They did his hearing check at birth before we went home. A caring mama will be able to tell if her child has something wrong. I practice attached parenting so H is never far from me. As long as he gained weight, grew and hit milestones there isn't a need for dr.'s visits. Especially with this crappy Tricare Standard health insurance that my full time NG husband gets. E, my middle child, just had his school physical aka 5 year old well child and that cost us $185 after insurance. H just went for a rash and that cost $85 after insurance. We make to much for CHIP so we only go when we are sick or they need something for school. I've been a parent since I was 14, raising my brother cause mom had issues and I am 31 now. Thankfully my ped. understands and supports my viewpoint on medical care.

[littlered1]

Thanks for all of your opinions! I think that when I'm watching her on monday we are going to go to the local assistance office and see if I can do anything myself.
She for some reason had her W.I.C. taken away also. I had forgotten all about W.I.C., But yes, that has been gone for about as long as the (MICHILD) insurance.
I think she was just too lazy to go to her appointments and they cut her off of everything.

[azwup05]

I think I would be the only one to turn her in though.
The guy she lives with plays daddy but knows she might not be his and she could belong to either a guy that was in the army with my daughter.
or a guy that used to be my friend but wont talk to me anymore because he knows he might be the daddy, he has said he will run for the rest of his life before he will pay support. He is also on probabtion so I don't think he would be too hard to find.

I'm just so pissed about the whole thing! I know she came first in my life and I made a lot of sacrifices for her. Thats how kids should be raised!

The one playing daddy needs to "play" the whole game with all rules put forth, the ARMY guy needs to also, because if he is the daddy, he needs to know one way or the other. The other guy, needs someone to obviously go ahead and take the steps to call his bluff. Regardless of who it is, at some point, this child is going to want to know and make heror his own conclusions on his/her parentage and what that parent is truly worthy of from that. This girl has to get past her issues with all of this and not worry about what outsiders opinions are. She needs to do right by her children and the men involved. Unless there is a serious risk such as violence or other abuse that is known, she is risking too much in all of this.

[Renrut]

If she truly wanted assistance, she could say it was a one night stand and dont have a clue. I know of many people that have done it so I know first hand it works. Afterall, how can you give a name if you dont have a clue!!!