Connecticut General Statutes > Title 17b > Chapter 319rr > § 17b-745 - Court order for support of persons supported by state. National Medical Support Notice. Income withholding orders. Enforcement and modification of support orders
Current as of: 2009
(a)(1) The Superior Court or a family support magistrate may make and enforce orders for payment of support to the Commissioner of Administrative Services or, in IV-D support cases, to the state acting by and through the IV-D agency, directed to the husband or wife and, if the patient or person is under the age of eighteen years or as otherwise provided in this subsection, to any parent of any patient or person being supported by the state, wholly or in part, in a state humane institution, or under any welfare program administered by the Department of Social Services, as the court or family support magistrate finds, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of section 17b-179, or section 17a-90, 17b-81, 17b-223, 46b-129 or 46b-130, to be reasonably commensurate with the financial ability of any such relative. If such person is unmarried and a full-time high school student, such support shall continue according to the parents' respective abilities, if such person is in need of support, until such person completes the twelfth grade or attains the age of nineteen, whichever occurs first. Any court or family support magistrate called upon to make or enforce such an order, including an order based upon a determination consented to by the relative, shall ensure that such order is reasonable in light of the relative's ability to pay.
(2) (A) The court or family support magistrate shall include in each support order in a IV-D support case a provision for the health care coverage of the child. Such provision may include an order for either parent or both parents to provide such coverage under any or all of clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) of this subparagraph.
(i) The provision for health care coverage may include an order for either parent to name any child as a beneficiary of any medical or dental insurance or benefit plan carried by such parent or available to such parent at a reasonable cost, as described in clause (iv) of this subparagraph. If such order requires the parent to maintain insurance available through an employer, the order shall be enforced using a National Medical Support Notice as provided in section 46b-88.
(ii) The provision for health care coverage may include an order for either parent to: (I) Apply for and maintain coverage on behalf of the child under the HUSKY Plan, Part B; or (II) provide cash medical support, as described in clauses (v) and (vi) of this subparagraph. An order under this clause shall be made only if the cost to the parent obligated to maintain coverage under the HUSKY Plan, Part B, or provide cash medical support is reasonable as described in clause (iv) of this subparagraph. An order under subclause (I) of this clause shall be made only if insurance coverage as described in clause (i) of this subparagraph is unavailable at reasonable cost to either parent, or inaccessible to the child.
(iii) An order for payment of the child's medical and dental expenses, other than those described in subclause (II) of clause (v) of this subparagraph, that are not covered by insurance or reimbursed in any other manner shall be entered in accordance with the child support guidelines established pursuant to section 46b-215a.
(iv) Health care coverage shall be deemed reasonable in cost if: (I) The parent obligated to maintain such coverage would qualify as a low-income obligor under the child support guidelines established pursuant to section 46b-215a, based solely on such parent's income, and the cost does not exceed five per cent of such parent's net income; or (II) the parent obligated to maintain such coverage would not qualify as a low-income obligor under such guidelines and the cost does not exceed seven and one-half per cent of such parent's net income. In either case, net income shall be determined in accordance with the child support guidelines established pursuant to section 46b-215a. If a parent obligated to maintain insurance must obtain coverage for himself or herself to comply with the order to provide coverage for the child, reasonable cost shall be determined based on the combined cost of coverage for such parent and such child.
(v) Cash medical support means: (I) An amount ordered to be paid toward the cost of premiums for health insurance coverage provided by a public entity, including the HUSKY Plan, Part A or Part B, except as provided in clause (vi) of this subparagraph, or by another parent through employment or otherwise, or (II) an amount ordered to be paid, either directly to a medical provider or to the person obligated to pay such provider, toward any ongoing extraordinary medical and dental expenses of the child that are not covered by insurance or reimbursed in any other manner, provided such expenses are documented and identified specifically on the record. Cash medical support, as described in subclauses (I) and (II) of this clause, may be ordered in lieu of an order under clause (i) of this subparagraph to be effective until such time as health insurance that is accessible to the child and reasonable in cost becomes available, or in addition to an order under clause (i) of this subparagraph, provided the total cost to the obligated parent of insurance and cash medical support is reasonable, as described in clause (iv) of this subparagraph. An order for cash medical support shall be payable to the state or the custodial party, as their interests may appear, provided an order under subclause (I) of this clause shall be effective only as long as health insurance coverage is maintained. Any unreimbursed medical and dental expenses not covered by an order issued pursuant to subclause (II) of this clause are subject to an order for unreimbursed medical and dental expenses pursuant to clause (iii) of this subparagraph.
(vi) Cash medical support to offset the cost of any insurance payable under the HUSKY Plan, Part A or Part B, shall not be ordered against a noncustodial parent who is a low-income obligor, as defined in the child support guidelines established pursuant to section 46b-215a, or against a custodial parent of children covered under the HUSKY Plan, Part A or Part B.
(B) Whenever an order of the Superior Court or family support magistrate is issued against a parent to cover the cost of such medical or dental insurance or benefit plan for a child who is eligible for Medicaid benefits, and such parent has received payment from a third party for the costs of such services but such parent has not used such payment to reimburse, as appropriate, either the other parent or guardian or the provider of such services, the Department of Social Services may request the court or family support magistrate to order the employer of such parent to withhold from the wages, salary or other employment income of such parent to the extent necessary to reimburse the Department of Social Services for expenditures for such costs under the Medicaid program, except that any claims for current or past-due child support shall take priority over any such claims for the costs of such services.
(3) Said court or family support magistrate shall also have authority to make and enforce orders directed to the conservator or guardian of any such patient or person, or the payee of Social Security or other benefits to which such patient or person is entitled, to the extent of the income or estate held or received by such fiduciary or payee in any such capacity.
(4) For purposes of this section, the term "father" shall include a person who has acknowledged in writing paternity of a child born out of wedlock, and the court or family support magistrate shall have authority to determine, order and enforce payment of any accumulated sums due under a written agreement to support such child in acPrev | Next________________________________________________________________________
Questions & Answers: Child Care
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