Family Policy Term Definition

All persons who are legally responsible for the financial obligations of the patient or for whom the patient is legally responsible. The Family may or may not live in the same home as the patient (e.g. custodial parent living away). Legal guardians, anyone who has claimed the patient as a Dependent on his/her most recent Federal Income Tax return, and/or anyone who takes the Federal Elderly Income Tax Credit for the patient on his/her most recent Federal Income Tax Return are included in this designation. Spouses are included in this definition. Spouses who live apart, but are not divorced are included, unless it can be demonstrated that they have lived apart for at least two years, with separate addresses, separate financial accounts, and separate income tax returns. Common Law or Informal Marriages are included in the Family definition if either A or B is met:

A. The couple has filed a Declaration of Informal Marriage, or

B. The couple meets all of the following conditions:

1. they agree that they are married
2. they live together in Texas, and
3. they represent themselves or hold out to others that they are married to one another.

For purposes of this policy, Family does not include non-custodial parents who are not legally obligated to support the applicant and/or who do not claim the applicant as a Dependent; adult (age 19 or over) children or siblings with no financial responsibility for the applicant.