Qualified Medical Child Support Orders

As required by ERISA, the Plan recognizes qualified medical child support orders (QMCSOs). A QMCSO is a court order or an order issued by a state administrative agency in accordance with federal and state laws that require an alternate beneficiary (for example, a child or stepchild) to be covered by a plan participant’s group health plan.

The Plan honors QMCSOs that meet the legal requirements for such orders. It is important to note that a QMCSO cannot require a plan to provide a type or form of benefit, or an option, that is not currently available from the plan to which the order is directed, unless receiving this benefit or option is necessary to meet the requirements of the Social Security Act, which relates to the enforcement of state child support laws and reimbursement of Medicaid.

A QMCSO must be provided to the Plan Administrator to determine if it meets the legal requirements for a QMCSO. If it does, the alternate beneficiary is considered a beneficiary for the purposes of ERISA and is enrolled as a dependent of the employee participant. If the Plan Administrator receives a medical child support order that relates to you, you will be notified and then informed of the decision as to whether the order is qualified.

A copy of the Plan’s QMCSO procedures is available, free of charge, upon written request to Human Resources.