Who is responsible for payment when a child is treated in a divorced case?

The adult seeking treatment is responsible for payment when a child is treated in a divorced case because legal and financial responsibilities regarding healthcare can be influenced by various factors such as custody agreements, insurance coverage, and state laws. Typically, the parent who brings the child for treatment (often referred to as the "custodial parent" or the "parent seeking treatment") is expected to manage the payment for that care.

This arrangement stems from the fundamental principle that the parent who seeks out and engages the medical services is generally considered responsible for the bill, unless otherwise specified in a divorce agreement or a separate arrangement between the parents. If there are outstanding financial responsibilities, these may need to be resolved between the parents or through their insurance provider, but the initiating parent is the one who typically assumes immediate payment duties.

Moreover, if there is shared custody, financial responsibility could potentially fall to either parent, depending on the agreements made during the divorce proceedings. However, in practice, the person who takes the child for treatment is most often responsible for handling the initial payments, whether through direct payment or coordination with insurance.