04/12/2000 02:13 PM Senate JUD

                                                                                                                                
Number 1577                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
           SB 207-MEDICAL SUPPORT ORDERS FOR CHILDREN                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. BARBARA MIKLOS, Department of Revenue (DOR), said SB 207 makes                                                              
three simple changes to existing statute.  First, under existing                                                                
statute an order for medical support can only be established in                                                                 
conjunction with a financial support order.  DOR is required by                                                                 
Medicaid to establish a medical support order for people who go                                                                 
onto a public assistance program and then DOR is required by                                                                    
statute to establish a financial support order.  DOR would like to                                                              
separate the two orders, establishing a medical support order only                                                              
without an order for financial support.  A financial support order                                                              
will be established if the parent wants one.  Second, SB 207 amends                                                             
the medical support statute to provide that either parent, not                                                                  
simply the obligor, may be required to provide health care                                                                      
coverage.  Third, this bill amends the law to require that a                                                                    
medical support order be issued regardless of whether health care                                                               
coverage is currently available to either parent.  This is being                                                                
done now and the order is not in effect until the health insurance                                                              
becomes available.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. MIKLOS said DOR believes this bill will help custodial parents                                                              
because they will not need a financial order, noncustodial parents                                                              
for the same reason and it will also help keep the Child Support                                                                
Enforcement Division out of the middle of conflict with the                                                                     
parents.