Section 552.626 - Notice of income withholding; failure of parent to obtain or maintain health care coverage for child; duties of friend of the court.

SUPPORT AND PARENTING TIME ENFORCEMENT ACT (EXCERPT)
Act 295 of 1982

552.626 Notice of income withholding; failure of parent to obtain or maintain health care coverage for child; duties of friend of the court.

Sec. 26.

(1) For a friend of the court case, within 2 business days after a new hire report is entered into the state directory of new hires, as created under section 453A of title IV-D, 42 U.S.C. 653a, or a payer's or parent's employer is otherwise identified, the office shall, when appropriate, provide the new employer with a notice of income withholding or a notice of the order for dependent health care coverage, or both, on behalf of a payer who is subject to income withholding or a parent or payer who is required to provide dependent health care coverage.

(2) If an order for dependent health care coverage was entered before September 30, 2001, the office shall, at the time notice of the order is sent to the employer under subsection (1), provide the payer or parent with instructions on how to request a review or hearing to contest the availability of dependent health care coverage at a reasonable cost.

(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), if a parent fails to obtain or maintain health care coverage for the parent's child as ordered by the court, the office of the friend of the court shall, as applicable, do either of the following:

(a) Petition the court for an order to show cause why the parent should not be held in contempt for failure to obtain or maintain dependent health care coverage that is available at a reasonable cost.

(b) Send notice of noncompliance to the parent. The notice shall contain all of the following information:

(i) That the office will notify the parent's employer to deduct premiums for, and to notify the insurer or plan administrator to enroll the child in, dependent health care coverage unless the parent does either of the following within 21 days after mailing of the notice:

(A) Submits written proof to the friend of the court of the child's enrollment in a health care coverage plan.

(B) Requests a hearing to determine the availability or reasonable cost of the health care coverage.

(ii) That the order for dependent health care coverage will be applied to current and subsequent employers and periods of employment.


History: Add. 1995, Act 236, Eff. Mar. 28, 1996 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 334, Imd. Eff. Aug. 10, 1998 ;-- Am. 2001, Act 106, Eff. Sept. 30, 2001 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 572, Eff. Dec. 1, 2002