South Carolina § 38-71-143 - Health plans must provide same coverage for children placed for adoption.

§ 38-71-143. Health plans must provide same coverage for children placed for adoption.

(A) If an individual or group health plan provides coverage for dependent children of participants or beneficiaries, the plan shall provide benefits to dependent children placed with participants or beneficiaries for adoption under the same terms and conditions as apply to the natural, dependent children of the participants and beneficiaries, irrespective of whether the adoption has become final.

(B) A group health plan may not restrict coverage under the plan of a dependent child adopted by a participant or beneficiary or placed with a participant or beneficiary for adoption solely on the basis of a preexisting condition of the child at the time that the child would otherwise become eligible for coverage under the plan, if the adoption or placement for adoption occurs while the participant or beneficiary is eligible for coverage under the plan.

(C) For the purposes of this section:

(1) "child" means, in connection with an adoption or placement for adoption of the child, an individual who has not attained age eighteen as of the date of the adoption or placement for adoption;

(2) "placement for adoption" means the assumption and retention by a person of a legal obligation for total or partial support of a child in anticipation of the adoption of the child. The child's placement with a person terminates upon the termination of the legal obligations.

HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 481, SECTION 2, eff July 14, 1994.