Granddaughter lives w/ grandparents. What do we do if she needs medical attention?

[thumbsup101]

My husband is the biologocal grandfather of his granddaughter, who is now living with us. Her father lives in another city in the same state and he has legal full custody of her. Her mother is no where to be found and had visitation rights. Our granddaughter hasn't lived with her father for the last four years. She was with her other grandmother and on the state's medical insurance. Now that she's in her teen years, the other grandmother, I assume, couldn't handle it so she's with us, and we love her. She's still under the custody of her father but we assume all costs, such as school clothes, shoes, bedroom furniture, all the fun gadgets like a cell phone, etc. Our main concern is when she needs medical and dental care. Do we as grand parents sign her in to Urgent Care or the ER and then have her father billed? We can't get her on the state's medical plan because they say we make too much money. Her father said he was to send insurance cards, but it's a lie. He never sends anything he promises. She is without insurance. I would like to get her on my insurance but I'm her grand parent with no legal custody. My job may be fighting it too with the economy the way it is. What can we do? And, what kind of legal paperwork should we have in place, if any?

Thank you.

 

[army judge]

My husband is the biologocal grandfather of his granddaughter, who is now living with us. Her father lives in another city in the same state and he has legal full custody of her. Her mother is no where to be found and had visitation rights. Our granddaughter hasn't lived with her father for the last four years. She was with her other grandmother and on the state's medical insurance. Now that she's in her teen years, the other grandmother, I assume, couldn't handle it so she's with us, and we love her. She's still under the custody of her father but we assume all costs, such as school clothes, shoes, bedroom furniture, all the fun gadgets like a cell phone, etc. Our main concern is when she needs medical and dental care. Do we as grand parents sign her in to Urgent Care or the ER and then have her father billed? We can't get her on the state's medical plan because they say we make too much money. Her father said he was to send insurance cards, but it's a lie. He never sends anything he promises. She is without insurance. I would like to get her on my insurance but I'm her grand parent with no legal custody. My job may be fighting it too with the economy the way it is. What can we do? And, what kind of legal paperwork should we have in place, if any?

Thank you.

You will need to acquire legal guardianship at a minimum.

To do that, you'll have to file for it through your locak court system.

Don't expect to get it.

Why?

Because she has a father and a mother.

You should start by speaking with a local lawyer or your HR department.

You might be able to add her to your insurance after explaining your situation to HR.

They won't fight you, they'll simply tell you if you can.

Otherwise, you;ll need to speak with a local alwyer.

It will probably be more costly than paying her medical care costs when they occur.

Unless she has health issues, paying as you go isn't that expensive for a healthy person.