Effective October 1, 2019, the state of Maryland has updated what is considered an “extraordinary medical expense” when calculating child support.
For parents earning a combined income of $180,000 or less per year, child support is calculated using the “Child Support Guidelines”. The guidelines consider (a) each parent’s gross income, (b) any alimony awarded or paid, (c) any other child support orders that either party is obligated to pay, (d) the cost of providing health insurance to the children, (e) work-related child-care expenses (such as daycare or aftercare), (f) and “extraordinary medical expenses.”
According to the new Maryland law, “extraordinary medical expenses” are uninsured costs for medical treatment in excess of $250 in any calendar year. Extraordinary medical expenses include uninsured, reasonable, and necessary costs for orthodontia, dental treatment, vision care, asthma treatment, physical therapy, treatment for any chronic health problem, and professional counseling or psychiatric therapy for diagnosed mental disorders.
Prior to October 1, 2019, extraordinary medical expenses used to be defined as “uninsured expenses over $100 for a single illness or condition.” Under the new definition, the extraordinary medical expense now has to be over $250 and is no longer limited to one single illness or condition.