EMERGENCY RULES
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
Date of Adoption: March 9, 2004.
Purpose: The Division of Child Support (DCS) is adopting new rules and amending existing rules to establish the procedures for enforcing medical support obligations using the National Medical Support Notice. At the same time, DCS is beginning the regular rule-making process for these rules as well by filing a preproposal statement of inquiry.
AMENDED RULES: WAC 388-14A-1020 What definitions apply to
the rules regarding child support enforcement?, 388-14A-4040
DCS can serve some collection actions by electronic service,
388-14A-4100 Can the division of child support make me provide
health insurance for my children?, 388-14A-4110 If my support
order requires me to provide health insurance for my children,
what do I have to do?, 388-14A-4120 DCS ((serves a)) uses the
National Medical Support Notice ((of enrollment)) to enforce
an obligation to provide health insurance coverage and
388-14A-4130 What must ((an employer or union who receives a
notice of enrollment do)) a plan administrator do after
receiving a National Medical Support Notice from the division
of child support?
NEW RULES: WAC 388-14A-4121 Can a Washington employer assume that every National Medical Support Notice that the employer receives is from the division of child support?, 388-14A-4122 What kind of information is included in the National Medical Support Notice?, 388-14A-4123 What can happen if the employer fails to comply with the terms of the National Medical Support Notice?, 388-14A-4124 Who are the parties involved with National Medical Support Notice?, 388-14A-4125 What must an employer do after receiving a National Medical Support Notice?, 388-14A-4126 What kind of help is available for an employer or plan administrator who has questions about the National Medical Support Notice?, 388-14A-4135 What must the plan administrator do when the noncustodial parent has health insurance but the children are not included in the coverage?, 388-14A-4140 What must the plan administrator do when the noncustodial parent is eligible for health insurance but is not yet enrolled?, 388-14A-4143 What must the plan administrator do when the employer provides health insurance but the noncustodial parent is not yet eligible for coverage?, 388-14A-4145 What must the plan administrator do when the insurance plan in which the noncustodial parent is enrolled does not provide coverage which is accessible to the children?, 388-14A-4150 What must the plan administrator do when the noncustodial parent has more than one family?, 388-14A-4160 Are there any limits on the amount a noncustodial parent may be required to pay for health insurance premiums?, 388-14A-4165 What happens when a noncustodial parent does not earn enough to pay child support plus the health insurance premium?, 388-14A-4170 How long does a National Medical Support Notice or other notice of enrollment remain in effect?, and 388-14A-4175 Is an employer obligated to notify the division of child support when insurance coverage for the children ends?
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-14A-1020, 388-14A-4040, 388-14A-4100, 388-14A-4110, 388-14A-4120, and 388-14A-4130.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.08.090 and 74.20A.310.
Other Authority: RCW 26.18.170, 42 U.S.C. 666 (a)(19), 45 C.F.R. 303.31.
Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that state or federal law or federal rule or a federal deadline for state receipt of federal funds requires immediate adoption of a rule.
Reasons for this Finding: DCS is required to use the National Medical Support Notice to enforce medical support obligations under the Child Support Program Incentives Act of 1998 (42 U.S.C. 666(a)(19); failure to do so would result in a state plan violation and could jeopardize federal funding for the Washington state child support program.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 15, Amended 6, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making:
New 0,
Amended 0,
Repealed 0;
Pilot Rule Making:
New 0,
Amended 0,
Repealed 0;
or Other Alternative Rule Making:
New 15,
Amended 6,
Repealed 0.
Effective Date of Rule:
March 22, 2004.
March 9, 2004
Brian H. Lindgren, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit
Reviser's note: The material contained in this filing exceeded the page-count limitations of WAC 1-21-040 for appearance in this issue of the Register. It will appear in the 04-08 issue of the Register.