33-24-55
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33-24-55.
(a)
Any health insurer under this title, including a group health plan, as defined
in Section 607(1) of the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, is prohibited from considering the availability or eligibility for medical
assistance in this or any other state under 42 U.S.C. 1396(a), Section 1902 of
the Social Security Act, herein referred to as Medicaid, when considering
eligibility for coverage or making payments under its plan for eligible
enrollees, subscribers, policyholders, or certificate holders.
(b)
To the extent that payment for covered expenses has been made under the state
Medicaid program for health care items or services furnished to an individual,
in any case where a third party has a legal liability to make payments, the
state is considered to have acquired the rights of the individual to payment by
any other party for those health care items or services.
(c)
An insurer shall not deny enrollment of a child under the health plan of the
child´s parent on the ground that the child was born out of wedlock, is not
claimed as a dependent on the parent´s federal income tax return, or does
not reside with the parent or in the insurer´s service area.
(d)
Where a child has health coverage under this title through an insurer of a
noncustodial parent, the insurer shall:
(1)
Provide such information to the custodial parent as may be necessary for the
child to obtain benefits through that coverage;
(2)
Permit the custodial parent or the provider, with the custodial parent´s
approval, to submit claims for covered services without the approval of the
noncustodial parent; and
(3)
Make payments on claims submitted in accordance with paragraph (2) of this
subsection directly to the custodial parent, the provider, or the state Medicaid
agency.
(e)
Where a parent is required by a court or administrative order to provide health
coverage for a child and the parent is eligible for family health coverage, the
insurer shall be required:
(1)
To permit the parent to enroll, under the family coverage, a child who is
otherwise eligible for the coverage without regard to any enrollment season
restrictions;
(2)
If the parent is enrolled but fails to make application to obtain coverage for
the child, to enroll the child under the family coverage upon application of the
child´s other parent, the state agency administering the Medicaid program,
or the state agency administering 42 U.S.C. Sections 651 through 669, the child
support enforcement program; and
(3)
Not to disenroll or eliminate coverage of any child unless the insurer is
provided satisfactory written evidence that:
(A)
The court or administrative order is no longer in effect; or
(B)
The child is or will be enrolled in comparable health coverage through another
insurer which will take effect not later than the effective date of
disenrollment.
(f)
An insurer may not impose requirements on a state agency which has been assigned
the rights of an individual eligible for medical assistance under Medicaid and
covered for health benefits from the insurer that are different from
requirements applicable to an agent or assignee of any other individual so
covered.
(g)
In any case in which a group health insurance plan provides coverage for
dependent children of participants or beneficiaries, the plan shall provide
benefits to dependent children placed with participants or beneficiaries for
adoption under the same terms and conditions as apply to the natural, dependent
children of the participants and beneficiaries, irrespective of whether the
adoption has become final.
(h)
A group health plan may not restrict coverage under the plan for any dependent
child adopted by a participant or beneficiary, or placed with a participant or
beneficiary for adoption, solely on the basis of a preexisting condition of the
child at the time that the child would otherwise become eligible for coverage
under the plan, if the adoption or placement for adoption occurs while the
participant or beneficiary is eligible for coverage under the plan.