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• It makes no difference if CP is low-income, the guidelines look to the party with the child support obligation.
• It also makes no difference what the cost of the child's health insurance is, whether it is free or $500 per month! If NCP is low-income, $0 must be entered on Form 1. The program will automatically override cost of health insurance if NCP is low-income. Look at the guidelines.
• If cost of child's health insurance is free, the program may calculate cash medical support. Cash medical support is not paid if the child is covered by health insurance. So, if NCP is low-income and CP has free health insurance, the program will calculate cash medical support, depending on the income level of NCP. In such cases, (free health insurance) if a number appears for cash medical support, go into "Calculation Overrides" and enter 0.00 to override cash medical. Keep in mind that if the "free" health insurance is a government supported program such as Hawk-I, then it is not health insurance. NCP may well be required to pay cash medical support.
• If NCP is low-income, he/she does not pay a dime of the cost of child's health insurance. The rules are different if the "health insurance" is a government subsidized program.
• Iowa Support Master alerts you via a special notation on Form 1 when the low-income exemption kicks in. This isn't something that appears on the Form 1 adopted by the Iowa Supreme Court but we put it in because we believe it helps give you, and more importantly, the judge, guidance.
• Cost of health insurance is an "add-on" to child support. It should be set out separately from child support in the decree.

Cash Medical Support

Yeah, I know, we covered this before as well. Would you just please follow along...

• Cash medical support is an "add-on." It is paid in addition to child support. It is to be set out in the decree separate from child support.
• If health insurance is ordered, cash medical support is not calculated. Even if the cost of health insurance is not reasonable, if you enter it unreasonable cost of child's health insurance, the program will allow it because the party providing it may elect to provide it even if it is not reasonable. Don't forget the court has more discretion under the new guidelines.
• If your client can purchase a health policy on the child via Blue Cross/Blue Shield for $38 per month, why would you allow your client to pay hundreds in cash medical support? Keep in mind that even if your client provides health insurance, he/she must still contribute to out-of-pocket medical care costs. Call BC/BS and get a quote. Some insurance is better than none, especially when the child needs a kidney transplant. The guidelines do not say that the health plan has to be the super deluxe model.
• Cash medical may change as the number of children changes. Form 1 does not include such future calculations but WE DO! Iowa Support Master does this for you. If you have multiple children, before you print Form 1, please look at the "Analysis Page." We give you the future numbers there. If your client is paying $200 cash medical in a case of four children, this number may go down to $100 when there is only one child left yet your decree may not reflect this change.