(1) Whenever a parent who has been ordered to provide health insurance coverage for a dependent child fails to provide such coverage or lets it lapse, the department or a parent may seek enforcement of the coverage order as provided under this section.

     (2)(a) If the parent's order to provide health insurance coverage contains language notifying the parent that failure to provide such coverage or proof that such coverage is unavailable may result in direct enforcement of the order and orders payments through, or has been submitted to, the Washington state support registry for enforcement, then the department may, without further notice to the parent, send a national medical support notice pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Sec. 666(a)(19), and sections 401 (e) and (f) of the federal child support and performance incentive act of 1998 to the parent's employer or union. The notice shall be served:

     (i) By regular mail;

     (ii) In the manner prescribed for the service of a summons in a civil action;

     (iii) By certified mail, return receipt requested; or

     (iv) By electronic means if there is an agreement between the secretary of the department and the person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision, department of the state, or agency, subdivision, or instrumentality of the United States to accept service by electronic means.

     (b) The notice shall require the employer or union to enroll the child in the health insurance plan as provided in subsection (3) of this section.

     (c) The returned part A of the national medical support notice to the division of child support by the employer constitutes proof of service of the notice in the case where the notice was served by regular mail.

     (d) If the parent's order to provide health insurance coverage does not order payments through, and has not been submitted to, the Washington state support registry for enforcement:

     (i) The parent seeking enforcement may, without further notice to the other parent, send a certified copy of the order requiring health insurance coverage to the obligor's employer or union by certified mail, return receipt requested; and

     (ii) The parent seeking enforcement shall attach a notarized statement to the order declaring that the order is the latest order addressing coverage entered by the court and require the employer or union to enroll the child in the health insurance plan as provided in subsection (3) of this section.

     (3) Upon receipt of an order that provides for health insurance coverage:

     (a) The parent's employer or union shall answer the party who sent the order within twenty days and confirm that the child:

     (i) Has been enrolled in the health insurance plan;

     (ii) Will be enrolled; or

     (iii) Cannot be covered, stating the reasons why such coverage cannot be provided;

     (b) The employer or union shall withhold any required premium from the parent's income or wages;

     (c) If more than one plan is offered by the employer or union, and each plan may be extended to cover the child, then the child shall be enrolled in the parent's plan. If the parent's plan does not provide coverage which is accessible to the child, the child shall be enrolled in the least expensive plan otherwise available to the parent;

     (d) The employer or union shall provide information about the name of the health insurance coverage provider or issuer and the extent of coverage available to the parent and shall make available any necessary claim forms or enrollment membership cards.

     (4) Upon receipt of a national medical support notice from a child support agency operating under Title IV-D of the federal social security act:

     (a) The parent's employer or union shall comply with the provisions of the notice, including meeting response time frames and withholding requirements required under part A of the notice;

     (b) The parent's employer or union shall also be responsible for complying with forwarding part B of the notice to the child's plan administrator, if required by the notice;

     (c) The plan administrator shall be responsible for complying with the provisions of the notice.

     (5) If the order for coverage contains no language notifying either or both parents that failure to provide health insurance coverage or proof that such coverage is unavailable may result in direct enforcement of the order, the department or the parent seeking enforcement may serve a written notice of intent to enforce the order on the other parent by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by personal service. If the parent required to provide medical support fails to provide written proof that such coverage has been obtained or applied for or fails to provide proof that such coverage is unavailable within twenty days of service of the notice, the department or the parent seeking enforcement may proceed to enforce the order directly as provided in subsection (2) of this section.

     (6) If the parent ordered to provide health insurance coverage elects to provide coverage that will not be accessible to the child because of geographic or other limitations when accessible coverage is otherwise available, the department or the parent seeking enforcement may serve a written notice of intent to purchase health insurance coverage on the parent required to provide medical support by certified mail, return receipt requested. The notice shall also specify the type and cost of coverage.

     (7) If the department serves a notice under subsection (6) of this section the parent required to provide medical support shall, within twenty days of the date of service:

     (a) File an application for an adjudicative proceeding; or

     (b) Provide written proof to the department that the parent has either applied for, or obtained, coverage accessible to the child.

     (8) If the parent seeking enforcement serves a notice under subsection (6) of this section, within twenty days of the date of service the parent required to provide medical support shall provide written proof to the parent seeking enforcement that the parent required to provide medical support has either applied for, or obtained, coverage accessible to the child.

     (9) If the parent required to provide medical support fails to respond to a notice served under subsection (6) of this section to the party who served the notice, the party who served the notice may purchase the health insurance coverage specified in the notice directly. The amount of the monthly premium shall be added to the support debt and be collectible without further notice. The amount of the monthly premium may be collected or accrued until the parent required to provide medical support provides proof of the required coverage.

     (10) The signature of the parent seeking enforcement or of a department employee shall be a valid authorization to the coverage provider or issuer for purposes of processing a payment to the child's health services provider. An order for health insurance coverage shall operate as an assignment of all benefit rights to the parent seeking enforcement or to the child's health services provider, and in any claim against the coverage provider or issuer, the parent seeking enforcement or his or her assignee shall be subrogated to the rights of the parent obligated to provide medical support for the child. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section regarding assignment of benefits, this section shall not require a health care service contractor authorized under chapter 48.44 RCW or a health maintenance organization authorized under chapter 48.46 RCW to deviate from their contractual provisions and restrictions regarding reimbursement for covered services. If the coverage is terminated, the employer shall mail a notice of termination to the department or the parent seeking enforcement at that parent's last known address within thirty days of the termination date.

     (11) This section shall not be construed to limit the right of the parents or parties to the support order to bring an action in superior court at any time to enforce, modify, or clarify the original support order.

     (12) Where a child does not reside in the issuer's service area, an issuer shall cover no less than urgent and emergent care. Where the issuer offers broader coverage, whether by policy or reciprocal agreement, the issuer shall provide such coverage to any child otherwise covered that does not reside in the issuer's service area.

     (13) If a parent required to provide medical support fails to pay his or her portion, determined under RCW 26.19.080, of any deductible, copay, or uninsured medical expense incurred on behalf of the child, pursuant to a child support order, the department or the obligee parent may enforce collection of that parent's portion of the deductible, copay, or uninsured medical expense incurred on behalf of the child. If the department is enforcing the order, the parent required to provide medical support shall have his or her portion of the deductible, copay, or uninsured medical expenses incurred on behalf of the child added to the support debt and be collectible without further notice, following the reduction of the expenses to a sum certain either in a court order or by the department, pursuant to RCW 26.23.110.

     (14) The department has rule-making authority to enact rules consistent with 42 U.S.C. Sec. 652(f) and 42 U.S.C. Sec. 666(a)(19) as amended by section 7307 of the deficit reduction act of 2005. Additionally, the department has rule-making authority to implement regulations required under parts 45 C.F.R. 302, 303, 304, 305, and 308.

[2007 c 143 § 1; 2000 c 86 § 2; 1995 c 34 § 7; 1994 c 230 § 7; 1993 c 426 § 14; 1989 c 416 § 5.]

NOTES:

Severability -- 2007 c 143: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [2007 c 143 § 10.]