Wisconsin Department of Children and Families

Protecting Children, Strengthening Families, Building Communities




Questions Parents ask about Repaying Birth Costs

Why doesn't the mother have to pay a share of the birth costs?

According to federal law, parents who receive BadgerCare Plus cannot be required to repay the health care costs for themselves or their children who live with them.

If I marry the mother before our baby is born, will I have to repay the birth costs?

The court may order you to repay the birth costs even if you and the mother get married before (or after) your child's birth.

What happens if my insurance or the mother's insurance paid the birth costs?

The birth cost amount will be reduced by the amount paid by insurance. The parent with the insurance must show proof that the insurance paid some or all of the costs. If the insurance did not cover all the birth costs, the court may order you to pay the rest.

Is interest charged on unpaid birth costs?


Will my tax refund be taken to repay birth costs?

Yes, if the court order sets the costs based on your income or ability to repay the birth costs. Tax refunds can be taken to pay support and related costs such as birth costs.

Federal rules will not allow the use of federal tax returns to pay for birth costs if the court sets the birth cost amount higher than 5% of your income or your ability to repay the costs. Wisconsin law does allow the court to use another method to set the birth cost amounts. You will owe whatever amount the court sets.

If my child support payments were set using the shared-placement or serial family formulas, is there another method used to set the birth costs?

No. However, the court may set lower birth cost amounts in cases that the court used the low-income payer table to order child support.