HMO or PPO Would Qualify
Video Transcribed: What qualifies as health insurance for child support purposes in Oklahoma? I’m Oklahoma Lawyer James Wirth. We’re doing a series related to Oklahoma child support. And the question here is when a party is ordered to obtain health insurance, what qualifies as health insurance, and it is statutory, it’s defined by Oklahoma law.
It’s in Title 43 Section 118(f) Subsection A1 and it says that “Healthcare coverage,” health insurance in this case, “Healthcare coverage includes a fee for service, health maintenance organization,” which is an HMO, “preferred provider organization,” a PPO, “other types of private health insurance, government medical assistance program or health plan which could include Soonercare, Medicaid, Chip,” that’s a children’s health insurance program, “Indian health services, and defense eligibility enrollment reporting system, or DEERS.”
So that’s what qualifies as healthcare coverage in Oklahoma for child support purposes. So if you’re ordered to provide that and those things are provided, then that may cover your obligation. However, if the coverage that’s being provided is through the state and through government, Soonercare, Medicaid, then there could be a cash medical that has to be paid monthly as part of a child support obligation that is separate.
So if you’re ordered to provide health insurance, HMO works, PPO works. Also, if the child is eligible for Indian health services, then that qualifies and doesn’t actually have a cash medical.
But if the child is on government medical assistance, Soonercare, or Medicaid, then that does qualify as having some coverage for the child but it does mean that you’re also going to have to pay every month a cash medical amount out of pocket to cover or reimburse for part of that expense. If you need to speak to a Tulsa family law attorney or a Tulsa Child Support Collection Attorney please visit makelaweasy.com
