Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 42 : Section 1396g-1


   
U.S. Code as of: 01/19/04
Section 1396g-1. Required laws relating to medical child support

    (a) In general
      The laws relating to medical child support, which a State is
    required to have in effect under section 1396a(a)(60) of this
    title, are as follows:
        (1) A law that prohibits an insurer from denying enrollment of
      a child under the health coverage of the child's parent on the
      ground that - 
          (A) the child was born out of wedlock,
          (B) the child is not claimed as a dependent on the parent's
        Federal income tax return, or
          (C) the child does not reside with the parent or in the
        insurer's service area.

        (2) In any case in which a parent is required by a court or
      administrative order to provide health coverage for a child and
      the parent is eligible for family health coverage through an
      insurer, a law that requires such insurer - 
          (A) to permit such parent to enroll under such family
        coverage any such child who is otherwise eligible for such
        coverage (without regard to any enrollment season
        restrictions);
          (B) if such a parent is enrolled but fails to make
        application to obtain coverage of such child, to enroll such
        child under such family coverage upon application by the
        child's other parent or by the State agency administering the
        program under this subchapter or part D of subchapter IV of
        this chapter; and
          (C) not to disenroll (or eliminate coverage of) such a child
        unless the insurer is provided satisfactory written evidence
        that - 
            (i) such court or administrative order is no longer in
          effect, or
            (ii) the child is or will be enrolled in comparable health
          coverage through another insurer which will take effect not
          later than the effective date of such disenrollment.

        (3) In any case in which a parent is required by a court or
      administrative order to provide health coverage for a child and
      the parent is eligible for family health coverage through an
      employer doing business in the State, a law that requires such
      employer - 
          (A) to permit such parent to enroll under such family
        coverage any such child who is otherwise eligible for such
        coverage (without regard to any enrollment season
        restrictions);
          (B) if such a parent is enrolled but fails to make
        application to obtain coverage of such child, to enroll such
        child under such family coverage upon application by the
        child's other parent or by the State agency administering the
        program under this subchapter or part D of subchapter IV of
        this chapter; and
          (C) not to disenroll (or eliminate coverage of) any such
        child unless - 
            (i) the employer is provided satisfactory written evidence
          that - 
              (I) such court or administrative order is no longer in
            effect, or
              (II) the child is or will be enrolled in comparable
            health coverage which will take effect not later than the
            effective date of such disenrollment, or

            (ii) the employer has eliminated family health coverage for
          all of its employees; and

          (D) to withhold from such employee's compensation the
        employee's share (if any) of premiums for health coverage
        (except that the amount so withheld may not exceed the maximum
        amount permitted to be withheld under section 1673(b) of title
        15), and to pay such share of premiums to the insurer, except
        that the Secretary may provide by regulation for appropriate
        circumstances under which an employer may withhold less than
        such employee's share of such premiums.

        (4) A law that prohibits an insurer from imposing requirements
      on a State agency, which has been assigned the rights of an
      individual eligible for medical assistance under this subchapter
      and covered for health benefits from the insurer, that are
      different from requirements applicable to an agent or assignee of
      any other individual so covered.
        (5) A law that requires an insurer, in any case in which a
      child has health coverage through the insurer of a noncustodial
      parent - 
          (A) to provide such information to the custodial parent as
        may be necessary for the child to obtain benefits through such
        coverage;
          (B) to permit the custodial parent (or provider, with the
        custodial parent's approval) to submit claims for covered
        services without the approval of the noncustodial parent; and
          (C) to make payment on claims submitted in accordance with
        subparagraph (B) directly to such custodial parent, the
        provider, or the State agency.

        (6) A law that permits the State agency under this subchapter
      to garnish the wages, salary, or other employment income of, and
      requires withholding amounts from State tax refunds to, any
      person who - 
          (A) is required by court or administrative order to provide
        coverage of the costs of health services to a child who is
        eligible for medical assistance under this subchapter,
          (B) has received payment from a third party for the costs of
        such services to such child, but
          (C) has not used such payments to reimburse, as appropriate,
        either the other parent or guardian of such child or the
        provider of such services,

      to the extent necessary to reimburse the State agency for
      expenditures for such costs under its plan under this subchapter,
      but any claims for current or past-due child support shall take
      priority over any such claims for the costs of such services.
    (b) "Insurer" defined
      For purposes of this section, the term "insurer" includes a group
    health plan, as defined in section 1167(1) of title 29, a health
    maintenance organization, and an entity offering a service benefit
    plan.



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