Ask Me Help Desk - State assistance scam

State assistance scam

History: Husband has 19 year old child/ never married mother. Mother then married another man, has this child and another child (with yet another man). Went to court 17 years ago, husband required to carry insurance - and has always done. Co pays/ deductibles were to be mother's responsibility. We thought that all paperwork regarding claims would go to mother... so we never saw. I just found out that mother never claimed anything on our insurance and she had medical card all these years. There is no way she qualified! Family of 4, $9500/ year child support from my husband, child support from another man, she works part time, husband full time.
Do I turn her in... or let it go?
I feel stupid for not realizing this.

I would think our insurance should have been primary... then medical card?

Turn her in... they will investigate.. and if they find cause... then they will do something. If they find nothing... no harm done.

Why do you feel she did not qualify ? There can be fairly high earnings for a family of 4. to get benefits for child, one does not have to be at complete poverty.

Hello G;

Quote:

Do I turn her in... or let it go?

She's a bad lady, that's for sure. But, it didn't cost YOU anything? You had to supply insurance whether it was used or not. It also looks like your kids are almost grown up, and your contact with her is coming to an end.

So, no... Leave her alone... Besides that, your kids will NEVER forgive you.

Excon

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

why do you feel she did not qualify ? there can be fairly high earnings for a family of 4. to get benefits for child, one does not have to be at complete poverty.

I could be wrong. But, with her husband's job... I would suspect he makes between 40-50k. She works part time... I believe in order to qualify for assistance. Also, her words to me: covered under a medical card since it was based off my income until he turned 19

It sounds like to me she only based this on her income.

Hello again, G:

Quote:

I could be wrong. But, with her husband's job..

You COULD be wrong, yet you're wondering if you should call the cops... Hmmmm.

Most times when we get questions like this, there's MORE to the story.. Often times, people don't want to turn in their family out of altruism. They want to do it for REVENGE.

Besides cheating the state, if she did, what did she DO to you?

Excon

Your income has nothing to do with the child getting assistance, it is their household income. In some states, child support does not apply to the income requirements. Some years ago in GA, the level for a family of three was about 32,000, so not sure what a family of four would be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by excon

Hello again, G:
You COULD be wrong, yet you're wondering if you should call the cops... Hmmmm.

Most times when we get questions like this, there's MORE to the story.. Often times, people don't want to turn in their family out of altruism. They want to do it for REVENGE.

Besides cheating the state, if she did, what did she DO to you?

excon

I will admit... revenge sounds sweet. But, there was a time I needed assistance (I was a single mother before I met my now husband). BUT, I did not abuse the system. I used if for a few years to get on my feet and now I have my Bachelors Degree, good job, and nice life. I really get sick of people that sit at home or work just a few hours a week so that they can live off the system. Doesn't that make you mad that we work to earn a living for our family and others just don't have to work?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

Your income has nothing to do with the child getting assistance, it is their household income. In some states, child support does not apply to the income requirements. some years ago in GA, the level for a family of three was about 32,000, so not sure what a family of four would be.

No, I know our income has no bearing. I am talking about her husband's full time job, her part time job. Again, I may be wrong. That is why I was here to get advice.

Hello again, G;

Quote:

Doesn't that make you mad that we work to earn a living for our family and others just don't have to work?

If I looked around me, I see a LOTTA wrong, but I'm not here to fix the world. Ok, that's not true. I fix the world from the top down - not the bottom up.

Doing it by snitching on people is very very DISTASTEFUL to me.

Excon

Her husband's full time job has no bearing on this particular child, in some locations. You don't specify where you live, so we can only assume. As he is not the biological father, nor is he the adoptive father, it is possible that this child does qualify for benefits based on her income alone.

By now it could be opening a can of worms. Did she lie about income? Why did welfare give her assistance rather than making her go after child support? At their age this could be thrown out as excon said. Welfare qualification for a mother with 3 would fall well under $50,000. A year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by N0help4u

By now it could be opening a can of worms. Did she lie about income? Why did welfare give her assistance rather than making her go after child support? At their age this could be thrown out as excon said. Welfare qualification for a mother with 3 would fall well under $50,000. a year.

She was getting child support. My husband paid approx $9500/ year. She got child support from another man (I think she gets about $2500/ year from him). She only works 24 hours a week. Unsure how much she makes... minimum wage in Illinois is 8.25.

She did not say the woman was married to a guy making $95, She said she receives child support and gets welfare medical assistance, which she feels should have been covered in the child support.

Read again N0Help...

Quote:

Family of 4, $9500/ year child support from my husband, child support from another man, she works part time, husband full time

In the original question there was no mention of child support, only medical coverage. That was what be based our answers on.

Child support was ordered, medical coverage was ordered. However, medicaid, if this is in the US, does not take into account child support or the income of the current spouse, i.e. step-parent. For the child it only takes into account the income, less child support, of the custodial parent.

Ok. I thought it took into account spouse on child support. I had assistance but this was years ago... and I did not get child support nor had a spouse.

The income her current husband provides is not taken into account for a child that is not his biologically or legally by adoption. They will only look at her income, not including child support for this child that your husband is legally responsible for.

Now, dependent on your location, it is possible that she committed fraud in that she should have reported to the primary insurance first using the medicaid insurance as a secondary. Again, this is all location specific. Since you haven't provided the location, we can only assume.

One also has to wonder why you are trying to be so vindictive. If you "turn her in," what do you stand to gain from this? What do you stand to lose?

We are in Illinois.

I can honestly say... yes, I would like revenge. But, also... why did we provide all these years of insurance when she was never going to use it. I am angry. I am angry that someone can want to work only part time so she can get assistance. I am angry that my husband has to get up at 4:15 am for work while she sits at home.

Original post says $95, child support from OPs husband. I don't see that OP says the mother is currently married in original post either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by N0help4u

Original post says $95, child support from OPs husband. I don't see that OP says the mother is currently married in original post either.

Sorry. Yes. She is married and her husband works full time. She has oldest child with my husb who paid $9500/ year in child support. Younger child she gets child support from ex husb.