Situation:
1. Non coustodial parent (in Tennessee) is court ordered to
provide insurance (medical dental and vision) for their
child, but are not.
2. A child in Tennessee needs medical, dental, or vison
treatment that is not covered by insurance.
Complications:
1. The non coustodial parent refuses to help with the
cost of treatment on a volintary basis.
2. The non coustodial parent denies responcability for
the needs of the child.
State of Tennessee's Solution:
1. Have the coustodial parent pay for the entire thing.
2. Then take the non coustodial parent to court to force
them to pay for half of what the coustodial parent has
already paid.
Problem with state's solution:
1. Most coustodial parents are doing all they can with what
they have or get from child support and can not afford to
or are unable to go into debt any further.
2. Most of the non coustodial parents are not paying the
court ordered child support as it is.
3. If a court order child support is not being met the court
is not going to raise the amount to cover any other
expenses.
The courts are not enforcing the orders that are already in place so what would make us think that they would enpose or enforce any modifications?
We need more enforcement of the laws that we already have and/or laws that make it easier for the custodial parent to provide for the child. Laws that will make it harder for the child support system to allow non custodial parents to dodge the court orders that are in place.
