Please note: As of January 20, 2021, information in some news releases may be out of date or not reflect current policies.
News Release
Department of Labor Announces Compliance Assistance Guide For Qualified Medical Child Support Orders
Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.
Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) today announced a new compliance assistance guide to help employers, plan sponsors, service providers and state officials understand the federal health benefits law regarding qualified medical child support orders.
Assistant Secretary of Labor Ann L. Combs said, “By developing this new publication as part of our continuing commitment to assist plan officials comply with the law, we will ultimately assist thousands of children secure health insurance coverage when their parents divorce or when mandated by state authorities.”
The publication, which also will assist state child support enforcement agencies, explains the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) that require employer-sponsored group health plans to extend health care coverage to children of a employees who are divorced, separated or never married when ordered to do so by state authorities.
A state court or agency may require an ERISA-covered health plan to provide benefits coverage to children by issuing a medical child support order. A state child support enforcement agency may also obtain group health coverage for a child by issuing a qualified National Medical Support Notice.
The new guide, Compliance Assistance Guide…Qualified Medical Child Support Orders, answers general questions about the orders, the National Medical Support Notices, the role of state child support enforcement agencies in obtaining the coverage for children, and other resources. The publication is located on EBSA’s Web site at www.dol.gov/ebsa under Publications.
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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.