Medical Child Support Order
A Medical Child Support Order requires an employee to provide for the monetary support or coverage of dependents under their health plan.
What is a Medical Child Support Order?
State authorities issue Medical Child Support Orders pursuant to domestic relations law. They provide for the monetary support or coverage of dependents under the employee’s health plans.
Why is a Medical Child Support Order important to a small business?
When employers with group health plans receive medical child support orders, they are required to extend coverage to an employee’s children. Employers should also be aware that there are additional requirements that apply under ERISA when they receive this type of order — such as notifying the employee about the order.
What is the history of Medical Child Support Orders?
The origin of Medical Child Support Orders goes back to 1993, when there was an amendment to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The amendment required that employment-based group health plans extend healthcare coverage to the children of a parent-employee who is divorced, separated, or never married when ordered to do so by state authorities.
Summary
Courts issue Medical Child Support Orders when requiring a parent to either provide:
- Monetary support for health insurance, or
- Coverage under their employee healthcare plan for their child or children
