HEALTH INSURANCE

By law, every order for child support must include a Medical Support Order for health insurance. If an employee or independent contractor has an order to pay child support and is eligible for health insurance, his or her children must be enrolled in the employer’s health insurance plan even if the employee declines his or her own personal health coverage.

Medical Support Orders may be for a specific dollar amount included on the Income Withholding Order, or as an order for health insurance. If the order is not for a specific dollar amount, you as the employer will receive National Medical Support Notice Part A and National Medical Support Notice Part B. This is a standard federal form that all state child support agencies use. The Notice may accompany an Income Withholding Order, or it may be sent separately.

Learn more by viewing the factsheet:

• National Medical Support Order Factsheet (English)
• National Medical Support Order Factsheet (Spanish)

Termination of Healthcare

States using the National Medical Support Notice may require that additional information on medical support or insurance be reported, primarily to avoid interruption of medical coverage for the employee’s child.

Notify the child support agency handling the case within ten (10) business days of any lapse of health care coverage, including:

• The reason for lapse in coverage
• Whether the lapse is temporary
• If the lapse is temporary, the date coverage will resume
• The effective date of the lapse in coverage

This information should be submitted to the agency on the Termination of Benefits form, available online only.