Medical insurance coverage is crucial so children receive the medical care they need to prevent health problems, care for illnesses, and treat injuries. 

Providing medical insurance is an important part of supporting children.  Child Support Services can help make sure parents who do not live with their children help meet their medical needs.

Child Support Orders Can Order Medical Support
Child Support orders can require the non-custodial parent to provide medical insurance coverage for his or her children, if it is available through an employer. 

When Child Support Services help parents get a child support order, this requirement is included. If you already have a child support order, but it does not require a parent to provide medical insurance coverage, you can ask Child Support Services to help you through the process to change the child support order and have this requirement added.

Child Support Services Partners with Employers to Provide Medical Coverage for Children
When a parent is ordered to provide medical insurance coverage, and it is available through his or her employer, Child Support Services partners with the employer to enroll the children in the insurance policy. 

Premiums are deducted from the non-custodial parent’s income. 

If vision and dental benefits are available, the employer will enroll the children in that policy, as well.

About the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
If group medical insurance coverage is not available to you or the other parent through an employer, and you are unable to afford private medical insurance coverage, you may be able to enroll your children in the Children’s Health Insurance Program, also called CHIP.

If your children are enrolled in CHIP, Child Support Services will help to make sure the non-custodial parent provides financial support and, when available through an employer, medical insurance coverage.