376.816. Adopted children to be provided health care coverage on the same basis as other dependents--effective from date of birth or on placement--placement defined.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

376.816. Adopted children to be provided health care coverage on the same basis as other dependents--effective from date of birth or on placement--placement defined.

Adopted children to be provided health care coverage on the samebasis as other dependents--effective from date of birth or onplacement--placement defined.

376.816. 1. No individual or group insurance policy providing coverageon an expense-incurred basis, no individual or group service or indemnitycontract issued by a not-for-profit health services corporation, no healthmaintenance organization nor any self-insured group health benefit plan of anytype or description shall be offered, issued or renewed in this state on orafter July 10, 1991, unless the policy, plan or contract covers adoptedchildren of the insured, subscriber or enrollee on the same basis as otherdependents.

2. The coverage required by subsection 1 of this section is effective:

(1) From the date of birth if a petition for adoption is filed withinthirty days of the birth of such child; or

(2) From the date of placement for the purpose of adoption if a petitionfor adoption is filed within thirty days of placement of such child. Such coverage shall continue unless the placement is disrupted prior to legaladoption and the child is removed from placement. Coverage shall include thenecessary care and treatment of medical conditions existing prior to the dateof placement.

3. As used in this section, "placement" means in the physical custody ofthe adoptive parent.