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Doctor Advises Couple To Divorce So They Can Afford Child's Medical Bills

Updated August 16, 2021

For many Americans, the worst fear they can imagine is contracting an illness or experiencing an injury serious enough that they have to go to the hospital.

Although some people have a fear or mistrust of doctors, the more common reason behind this is that they'll then need to find a way to afford the treatment they receive. For those in a position where they don't qualify for Medicaid, but also don't have health insurance, this can turn simple medical procedures into huge financial burdens.

And as one Tennessee discovered, that situation only gets more desperate as the health issues get more complicated.

For nearly 10 years, Angela and Randy Tindell had tried to get pregnant.

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Yet, as they told WVLT, it was right at the point where they gave up when it finally and unexpectedly happened.

As Angela was 42 at the time, her pregnancy was considered high-risk.

And unfortunately, doctors' concern for how it would turn out were well-founded.

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Their son, Jackson, spent the first months of his life in NICU, and what Angela heard was not encouraging.

As she said, "There was a time they deemed him medically fragile, which meant we're not guaranteeing that this babe will survive. He's always been a fighter."

And Jackson's fight was not in vain as five years later, he's now in kindergarten.

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However, his health issues still persist and he needs speech, occupational, and feeding therapy. He also continues to use a feeding tube and the relevant formula alone costs $1,700 a month.

As the bills mount, the Tindells find themselves in what seems like an impossible situation.

Reddit | Classiceagle63

As Randy told WVLT, "You know that your child needs this therapy, or he may need a procedure, but you also know that there is no physical way that you can come up with that kind of money."

Although he has a job that's normally capable of supporting a family, his insurance doesn't cover all of Jackson's needs and remains expensive regardless.

Doctors and Jackson's therapists strongly recommend TennCare, Tennessee's medicaid program, to help cover the costs.

Reddit | dfGobBluth

However, the family's income is too high to qualify so a doctor recommended that Angela and Randy get a divorce in order to obtain coverage.

Although their monthly bills are now in the thousands, the Tindells don't believe this strategic divorce is the answer.

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Instead, they're putting their hopes on a Tennessee bill that would revise restrictions so more children with disabilities can receive TennCare coverage.

Although this bill has passed unanimously in one committee, it still needs to go through a finance committee before the state senate can vote on it.

Reddit | [deleted]

As State Senator Kerry Roberts said, "We don't want to lose the children to an institution because the parents cant afford to keep them at home. We don't want to see parents get divorced, because that's the only way they can qualify for TennCare to get these services for their child."

As the latter example is exactly the situation the Tindells face, they hope to get the attention of Tennessee lawmakers.

Reddit | BenTheNub

Angela said, "What we really want is what's best for our son. We want these therapies and these things for our son now, so that when he does turn 18, he can live a full life and be a productive member of society."

h/t: WVLT

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