§1003.  Coverage of children for group and individual health and accident insurance; exception

A.(1)  Children, including a grandchild in the legal custody of and residing with a grandparent, until the age of twenty-six shall be considered as dependents of the primary insured or enrollee under the provisions of any family group health and accident insurance policy, group health and accident insurance policy, or similar coverage issued by a health maintenance organization in this state.

(2)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, coverage of  dependent children or grandchildren for excepted benefits and for benefits of short-term, limited duration insurance as defined pursuant to 45 CFR 144.103 shall be controlled by this Paragraph with regard to requirements for age.  For excepted benefits, as defined in R.S. 22:1061(3)(b) and (c) and for benefits of short-term, limited duration insurance as defined pursuant to 45 CFR 144.103, the following requirements for coverage of dependent children or grandchildren shall apply:

(a)  To an unmarried dependent child or grandchild who is not a full-time student until the age of twenty-one.  A dependent  grandchild shall be in the legal custody of and residing with the grandparent.

(b)  To an unmarried dependent child or grandchild who is enrolled as a  full-time student until the age of twenty-four.  This enrollment may be at an accredited  college or university or at a vocational, technical, vocational-technical, or trade school or institute.  A dependent  grandchild shall be in the legal custody of and residing with the grandparent.

(c)  To an unmarried dependent child or grandchild who is a full-time student and who develops a mental or nervous condition, problem, or disorder which renders the child or grandchild, in the opinion of a qualified psychiatrist, subject to a second opinion if deemed necessary by the insurer or health maintenance organization, unable to attend school as a full-time student and from holding self-sustaining employment, until  the age of twenty-four.  A dependent  grandchild shall be in the legal custody of and residing with the grandparent.

(d)  To an unmarried dependent child or grandchild who is incapable of  self-sustaining employment by reason of intellectual or physical disability, who became incapable prior to attainment of the age of twenty-one, there may be continuous coverage for excepted benefits regardless of age.  A dependent  grandchild shall be in the legal custody of and residing with the grandparent.

B.  For group plans in existence before March 23, 2010, only, the provisions of this Section shall apply only if the child is not eligible to enroll in an eligible employer-sponsored health plan.  The provisions of this Subsection shall not apply for plan years beginning after January 1, 2014.

C.  The provisions of this Section shall apply to all policies issued or renewed or issued for delivery in this state after September 23, 2010, except that these provisions, in reference to age requirements, shall not apply to excepted benefits as defined in R.S. 22:1061(3)(b) and (c) and to benefits of short-term, limited duration insurance as defined pursuant to 45 CFR 144.103.

Added by Acts 1974, No. 505, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1175, §1; Acts 2003, No. 129, §1, eff. May 28, 2003; Redesignated from R.S. 22:215.4 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2010, No. 912, §1; Acts 2010, No. 919, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Acts 2011, No. 360, §1, eff. June 29, 2011; Acts 2014, No. 811, §11, eff. June 23, 2014.

NOTE:  Former R.S. 22:1003 redesignated as R.S. 22:693 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009.