03/22/2000 01:34 PM Senate HES

           SB 207-MEDICAL SUPPORT ORDERS FOR CHILDREN                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. BARBARA MIKLOS, Director of the Child Support Enforcement                                                                   
Division (CSED), Alaska Department of Revenue, informed committee                                                               
members that CSED believes SB 207 will be beneficial to everyone.                                                               
The bill makes three changes.  Under current law, CSED must                                                                     
establish a medical support order whenever it establishes a child                                                               
support order.  When a parent signs up for Medicaid, CSED is                                                                    
required by federal law to set a medical support order.  Because                                                                
Alaska law ties the two together, CSED must set up a financial                                                                  
order for all Medicaid recipients.  That requirement has led to                                                                 
problems because CSED must set up a financial order even though the                                                             
custodial parent may not request that one be established.  SB 207                                                               
will allow CSED to establish a medical support order without a                                                                  
financial order when appropriate.  CSED would then go after both                                                                
parents to see if they have insurance, in which case, the child                                                                 
would not need Medicaid coverage.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS. MIKLOS said that current law requires the obligor to provide                                                                
insurance.  SB 207 allows that either parent may be required to                                                                 
provide insurance - a provision consistent with a court rule.                                                                   
Last, the bill confirms CSED's current practice of setting the                                                                  
medical support order before it knows whether insurance is                                                                      
available.  CSED does not enforce the order until it verifies that                                                              
the parent has insurance.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
DIANE WENDLANDT, Assistant Attorney General, offered to answer any                                                              
legal questions regarding SB 207.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MARCI SCHMIDT, representing herself, said she favors SB 207 and                                                                 
hopes that CSED puts together a packet that makes it easier for                                                                 
parents to file for medical support only.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
There being no further discussion, SENATOR ELTON moved SB 207 from                                                              
committee with individual recommendations and its zero fiscal note.                                                             
There being no objection, the motion carried.