Big Big Problem.... Please need help and advice!!

[JohnR! 5,495]

family planning may be wonderful. hell, i might be on the board of directors.

but considering my question, family planning is as useful an answer as suggesting "don't fall in love with a foreigner."

i was very careful in making my question about what to do at the moment the is realized after arriving in the US.

as many have said, we can't undo the past.

so, with that in mind (or reminded), what advice do folks have?

After arriving in the US you have the option to take the pregnancy to term or to terminate it. Nobody can advise you on what to do. It depends on a myriad of factors.

[san diego 407]

The dilemma of the age.

How can you expect the individual member of society to retain a moral ethos when the whole system is corrupted?

This is a bad argument. It is similar to "oh, everyone is stealing, so I should too..."

[missphilly 1]

Hi, My name is Hatem. I am a US citizen, my wife is a green card holder. She got her green card a year ago, through marriage to me. She was pregnant. I applied for medicaid for her so it covers her pregnancy. I said on the application that she is not a US citizen. Our case was ineligible.

Few days later, a Medicaid officer called us told us about our case. I told her my wife is not a citizen. She asked me to fax her the green card and all other documents. Few days later, we received a letter saying that her medicaid has been approved, and it they make it start from day 1 of pregnancy till delivery.

Later on, when my baby was born, I got online to add my baby to the household, and I found a check mark next to my wife that she is a US citizen.

I called them and told them to correct it, and now they closed her medicaid, and they say they will make me pay for all the bills they paid, even though I never said or submitted anything claiming she is a citizen!!!

What can I do now? We are looking at thousands of dollars!!

She is a GC holder and she is eligible to have medicaid because you don't have insurance.... Is just wrong that you told them she is not a US citizen .

[Boiler 43,485]

This is a bad argument. It is similar to "oh, everyone is stealing, so I should too..."

Not really.

We are not talking about theft per se, more a system so open to be taken advantage of that so many do and it discourages everybody else.

The UK is ahead of that curve that the US, the US is catching up fast.

It will all end in tears, there seems no likelihood of anything else, perhaps it is inevitable. Plenty of historical examples.

And do not get me started on the top down corrupt and distorted US Healthcare 'system'...

[JohnR! 5,495]

We are not talking about theft per se, more a system so open to be taken advantage of that so many do and it discourages everybody else.

Again, that is a personal choice. You may argue bad example may discourage those whose character is weak, but then, for the weak of character no example is really needed.

[Eric-Pris 1,602]

Oh, come on, you knew it was a mistake from the moment they've approved it, since it is stated clearly that the LPR is only eligible for emergency medicaid (in your case, giving birth).

Ding Ding Ding... we have a winner.

They applied initially and were turned down due to ineligibility. But then a few days later somebody from Medicaid called them??? Just out of the blue? I think it's more likely that the OP called Medicaid first to appeal the denial, then got a call back. Once the deny a case, the government doesn't call applicants to discuss it further.

Why would the OP persist once denied the first time? Basically, he knew they were ineligible, but kept going and was approved (knowing full well he was not supposed to get it, thinking "maybe the government screwed up in our favor once").

Unfortunately, whether you knew or not that you were ineligible (you admitted that you did know), you accepted the sevices, so you are now responsible for the money that was paid for treatment for your wife. The thing with government agencies is that even when it's their mistake, we are still responsible.

Edited August 14, 2012 by Eric-Pris

[mfa 1]

After arriving in the US you have the option to take the pregnancy to term or to terminate it. Nobody can advise you on what to do. It depends on a myriad of factors.

sorry.

still not relevant to my question.

[JohnR! 5,495]

sorry.

still not relevant to my question.

Albeit completely germane an answer.

[Hatem&Zeinab 30]

Hello everybody. I finally got to talk to a very helpful employee at the medicaid office. She told me that she appreciates the fact that when I found out that they have made my wife eligible for this benefit by mistake. She said that she agrees that this was their mistake, and that they have nothing on their record that shows that we ever claimed that my wife is a US citizen. She said she will have to have to check with her supervisor before she can send me a letter or a statement that there was no wrong doing on our side. I told her I need this statement for immigration reasons because I don't immigration service to assume and accuse my wife of falsely claiming to be a US citizen to gain a government benefit. So I am praying that her supervisor agrees to that, because I really need it.

She told me that even this was the agency's mistake, I still have to pay this money back because this is tax payers money which I don't mind. She said that the total amount won't exceed $10,000 (exactly like couple people mentioned earlier in this thread) and I can still reduce it as this amount includes the bill for labor and delivery which should be covered by emergency medicaid if they find she was eligible for it at the time of the emergency. She said that the whole matter has been transferred to the benefits recovery department and they should contact me soon.

I asked her if emergency medicaid can be applied for the entire pregnancy as my wife had a high risk pregnancy. She told me that Emergency Medicaid only pays for labor and delivery. The only exception is when the patient has to go to the hospital during pregnancy for something that can be life threatening to her or the baby if not taken care of immediately. This is determined only by the physicians not the DCF.

She told me appreciates the fact that I called in and reported this mistake even if this affected me negatively. However, as I mentioned earlier my final amount that I have to pay is not as huge as I thought in the beginning because she told me that Medicaid has its own negotiated rates with the provider. That's why the bill won't exceed $10,000.

I hope this information has been very helpful to everybody. I just wanted to mention couple of things. I appreciate the fact that lot of people here tried to help and give their advice. Some of it was correct, some was not. I just didn't like some comments from people who rush into judgments without carefully reading what I originally posted. I never assumed my wife is eligible for this benefit. That is why I applied, to find out. They told me NO she is not, then they turned around and told me YES. We found a way that makes her eligible!! From my point of view I did the right thing. If people should know if they are eligible or not from the start, then there is definitely no reason for the application.

Some others blamed me knowing that I knew I am the one sponsoring my wife, and now don't want to pay for it. First of all, I never said I don't want to pay. I just want to pay what is reasonable. The only reason I applied in the very beginning was when we first started was when I started getting all kinds of bills asking me to pay $400 for doctors visits that never lasted than 20 minutes and all what the doctor did was making us listen to heart beat of the baby!!! I did the maths and I found out that if things are going into this direction, then my final bill will come up to a huge number. So, that was the only way why I started thinking about Medicaid.

Regardless of me signing form I-864 before, I still blame the system here. What kind of sense says that we immigrated to the country through legal channels, work hard, pay taxes and we are not eligible. On the other end, others come here illegally, overstay, don't pay taxes... they don't pay a penny from the start to the end. I have met at least 10 people in recent years who just came to the country to give birth to their children, make them US citizens, then just leave their big mess and bills behind, and then we tax payers have to pay for that..!!!

Thanks again for everyone, and I hope this was a useful post .....

[san diego 407]

Hello everybody. I finally got to talk to a very helpful employee at the medicaid office. She told me that she appreciates the fact that when I found out that they have made my wife eligible for this benefit by mistake. She said that she agrees that this was their mistake, and that they have nothing on their record that shows that we ever claimed that my wife is a US citizen. She said she will have to have to check with her supervisor before she can send me a letter or a statement that there was no wrong doing on our side. I told her I need this statement for immigration reasons because I don't immigration service to assume and accuse my wife of falsely claiming to be a US citizen to gain a government benefit. So I am praying that her supervisor agrees to that, because I really need it.

She told me that even this was the agency's mistake, I still have to pay this money back because this is tax payers money which I don't mind. She said that the total amount won't exceed $10,000 (exactly like couple people mentioned earlier in this thread) and I can still reduce it as this amount includes the bill for labor and delivery which should be covered by emergency medicaid if they find she was eligible for it at the time of the emergency. She said that the whole matter has been transferred to the benefits recovery department and they should contact me soon.

I asked her if emergency medicaid can be applied for the entire pregnancy as my wife had a high risk pregnancy. She told me that Emergency Medicaid only pays for labor and delivery. The only exception is when the patient has to go to the hospital during pregnancy for something that can be life threatening to her or the baby if not taken care of immediately. This is determined only by the physicians not the DCF.

She told me appreciates the fact that I called in and reported this mistake even if this affected me negatively. However, as I mentioned earlier my final amount that I have to pay is not as huge as I thought in the beginning because she told me that Medicaid has its own negotiated rates with the provider. That's why the bill won't exceed $10,000.

I hope this information has been very helpful to everybody. I just wanted to mention couple of things. I appreciate the fact that lot of people here tried to help and give their advice. Some of it was correct, some was not. I just didn't like some comments from people who rush into judgments without carefully reading what I originally posted. I never assumed my wife is eligible for this benefit. That is why I applied, to find out. They told me NO she is not, then they turned around and told me YES. We found a way that makes her eligible!! From my point of view I did the right thing. If people should know if they are eligible or not from the start, then there is definitely no reason for the application.

Some others blamed me knowing that I knew I am the one sponsoring my wife, and now don't want to pay for it. First of all, I never said I don't want to pay. I just want to pay what is reasonable. The only reason I applied in the very beginning was when we first started was when I started getting all kinds of bills asking me to pay $400 for doctors visits that never lasted than 20 minutes and all what the doctor did was making us listen to heart beat of the baby!!! I did the maths and I found out that if things are going into this direction, then my final bill will come up to a huge number. So, that was the only way why I started thinking about Medicaid.

Regardless of me signing form I-864 before, I still blame the system here. What kind of sense says that we immigrated to the country through legal channels, work hard, pay taxes and we are not eligible. On the other end, others come here illegally, overstay, don't pay taxes... they don't pay a penny from the start to the end. I have met at least 10 people in recent years who just came to the country to give birth to their children, make them US citizens, then just leave their big mess and bills behind, and then we tax payers have to pay for that..!!!

Thanks again for everyone, and I hope this was a useful post .....

Congrats! Also proves I was right on every single point.

[Boiler 43,485]

It is a totally screwed up system, I think everybody can at least agree to that.

[mfa 1]

Albeit completely germane an answer.

hmmm...my questions asked What should have been done at the moment you learn of pregnancy in this situation? And what is the cheapest way to carry and deliver a healthy baby without worries (given listed circumstances)?

family planning doesn't apply to the first.

terminating a pregnancy doesn't apply to the second.

[JohnR! 5,495]

hmmm...my questions asked What should have been done at the moment you learn of pregnancy in this situation? And what is the cheapest way to carry and deliver a healthy baby without worries (given listed circumstances)?

family planning doesn't apply to the first.

terminating a pregnancy doesn't apply to the second.

It depends on which state and city you live, in addition to your financial circumstances. It depends on a myriad of factors.

Hello everybody. I finally got to talk to a very helpful employee at the medicaid office. She told me that she appreciates the fact that when I found out that they have made my wife eligible for this benefit by mistake. She said that she agrees that this was their mistake, and that they have nothing on their record that shows that we ever claimed that my wife is a US citizen. She said she will have to have to check with her supervisor before she can send me a letter or a statement that there was no wrong doing on our side. I told her I need this statement for immigration reasons because I don't immigration service to assume and accuse my wife of falsely claiming to be a US citizen to gain a government benefit. So I am praying that her supervisor agrees to that, because I really need it.

She told me that even this was the agency's mistake, I still have to pay this money back because this is tax payers money which I don't mind. She said that the total amount won't exceed $10,000 (exactly like couple people mentioned earlier in this thread) and I can still reduce it as this amount includes the bill for labor and delivery which should be covered by emergency medicaid if they find she was eligible for it at the time of the emergency. She said that the whole matter has been transferred to the benefits recovery department and they should contact me soon.

I asked her if emergency medicaid can be applied for the entire pregnancy as my wife had a high risk pregnancy. She told me that Emergency Medicaid only pays for labor and delivery. The only exception is when the patient has to go to the hospital during pregnancy for something that can be life threatening to her or the baby if not taken care of immediately. This is determined only by the physicians not the DCF.

She told me appreciates the fact that I called in and reported this mistake even if this affected me negatively. However, as I mentioned earlier my final amount that I have to pay is not as huge as I thought in the beginning because she told me that Medicaid has its own negotiated rates with the provider. That's why the bill won't exceed $10,000.

I hope this information has been very helpful to everybody. I just wanted to mention couple of things. I appreciate the fact that lot of people here tried to help and give their advice. Some of it was correct, some was not. I just didn't like some comments from people who rush into judgments without carefully reading what I originally posted. I never assumed my wife is eligible for this benefit. That is why I applied, to find out. They told me NO she is not, then they turned around and told me YES. We found a way that makes her eligible!! From my point of view I did the right thing. If people should know if they are eligible or not from the start, then there is definitely no reason for the application.

Some others blamed me knowing that I knew I am the one sponsoring my wife, and now don't want to pay for it. First of all, I never said I don't want to pay. I just want to pay what is reasonable. The only reason I applied in the very beginning was when we first started was when I started getting all kinds of bills asking me to pay $400 for doctors visits that never lasted than 20 minutes and all what the doctor did was making us listen to heart beat of the baby!!! I did the maths and I found out that if things are going into this direction, then my final bill will come up to a huge number. So, that was the only way why I started thinking about Medicaid.

Regardless of me signing form I-864 before, I still blame the system here. What kind of sense says that we immigrated to the country through legal channels, work hard, pay taxes and we are not eligible. On the other end, others come here illegally, overstay, don't pay taxes... they don't pay a penny from the start to the end. I have met at least 10 people in recent years who just came to the country to give birth to their children, make them US citizens, then just leave their big mess and bills behind, and then we tax payers have to pay for that..!!!

Thanks again for everyone, and I hope this was a useful post .....

Halem, I am glad you sorted it out!!! Congrats!!!!!

[moroccogirlny 100]

I bet the bill comes closer to 5k

[HuklerYenny 21]

Hello everybody. I finally got to talk to a very helpful employee at the medicaid office. She told me that she appreciates the fact that when I found out that they have made my wife eligible for this benefit by mistake. She said that she agrees that this was their mistake, and that they have nothing on their record that shows that we ever claimed that my wife is a US citizen. She said she will have to have to check with her supervisor before she can send me a letter or a statement that there was no wrong doing on our side. I told her I need this statement for immigration reasons because I don't immigration service to assume and accuse my wife of falsely claiming to be a US citizen to gain a government benefit. So I am praying that her supervisor agrees to that, because I really need it.

She told me that even this was the agency's mistake, I still have to pay this money back because this is tax payers money which I don't mind. She said that the total amount won't exceed $10,000 (exactly like couple people mentioned earlier in this thread) and I can still reduce it as this amount includes the bill for labor and delivery which should be covered by emergency medicaid if they find she was eligible for it at the time of the emergency. She said that the whole matter has been transferred to the benefits recovery department and they should contact me soon.

I asked her if emergency medicaid can be applied for the entire pregnancy as my wife had a high risk pregnancy. She told me that Emergency Medicaid only pays for labor and delivery. The only exception is when the patient has to go to the hospital during pregnancy for something that can be life threatening to her or the baby if not taken care of immediately. This is determined only by the physicians not the DCF.

She told me appreciates the fact that I called in and reported this mistake even if this affected me negatively. However, as I mentioned earlier my final amount that I have to pay is not as huge as I thought in the beginning because she told me that Medicaid has its own negotiated rates with the provider. That's why the bill won't exceed $10,000.

I hope this information has been very helpful to everybody. I just wanted to mention couple of things. I appreciate the fact that lot of people here tried to help and give their advice. Some of it was correct, some was not. I just didn't like some comments from people who rush into judgments without carefully reading what I originally posted. I never assumed my wife is eligible for this benefit. That is why I applied, to find out. They told me NO she is not, then they turned around and told me YES. We found a way that makes her eligible!! From my point of view I did the right thing. If people should know if they are eligible or not from the start, then there is definitely no reason for the application.

Some others blamed me knowing that I knew I am the one sponsoring my wife, and now don't want to pay for it. First of all, I never said I don't want to pay. I just want to pay what is reasonable. The only reason I applied in the very beginning was when we first started was when I started getting all kinds of bills asking me to pay $400 for doctors visits that never lasted than 20 minutes and all what the doctor did was making us listen to heart beat of the baby!!! I did the maths and I found out that if things are going into this direction, then my final bill will come up to a huge number. So, that was the only way why I started thinking about Medicaid.

Regardless of me signing form I-864 before, I still blame the system here. What kind of sense says that we immigrated to the country through legal channels, work hard, pay taxes and we are not eligible. On the other end, others come here illegally, overstay, don't pay taxes... they don't pay a penny from the start to the end. I have met at least 10 people in recent years who just came to the country to give birth to their children, make them US citizens, then just leave their big mess and bills behind, and then we tax payers have to pay for that..!!!

Thanks again for everyone, and I hope this was a useful post .....

If you decide to pay, in whatever amount, is up to you. I just wanna tell you that I myself and three other friends in similar situation never paid more than $1,500. Some of us didn't have to pay anything. The Medicaid office will try to bully you at first, with all kinda threats. But once they realize their collecting power is nothing more than similar to collection agency on behalf of CC companies, the ACTUAL amount they will eventually collect from recipients like your wife, often is only a very small fraction of the original billed amount.

Tell them "Would you rather accept $1,000 (insert the figure that you want to pay) or I can hire an attorney to fight, whom will get the payment money that your agency can collect? To them, you're a MUCH BETTER patient/customer than many other illegal ones.