(a) A group health plan or an individual health plan, and a health insurer offering health insurance coverage that provides coverage for dependent children, that delivers, issues for delivery, amends, or renews a health insurance policy in the District of Columbia shall make health insurance coverage available and, if requested by the policyholder, extend coverage to any dependent child of a policyholder until the dependent child is no longer a dependent child.

(b) The health insurance coverage shall provide:

(1) The same health insurance coverage benefits to a dependent child that are available to any other covered dependent; and

(2) Health insurance coverage benefits to a dependent child at the same rate or premium applicable to any other covered dependent.

(c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require:

(1) Coverage for services provided to a dependent before October 26, 2010; or

(2) That an employer or other group policyholder pay all or part of the cost of coverage for a dependent as provided pursuant to this section.

(Oct. 26, 2010, D.C. Law 18-252, § 3, 57 DCR 8064.)

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 3 of Health Insurance for Dependents Emergency Act of 2010 (D.C. Act 18-384, April 29,

Section 3 of D.C. Law 18-203 added a section to read as follows:

“Sec. 3. Dependent child coverage.

“(a) A group health plan or an individual health plan, and a health insurer offering health insurance coverage that provides coverage for dependent children, that delivers, issues for delivery, amends, or renews a health insurance policy in the District of Columbia shall make health insurance coverage available and, if requested by the policyholder, extend health insurance coverage to any dependent child of a policyholder until the dependent child is no longer a dependent child.

“(b) The health insurance coverage shall provide:

“(1) The same health insurance coverage benefits to a dependent child that are available to any other covered dependent; and

“(2) Health insurance coverage benefits to a dependent child at the same rate or premium applicable to any other covered dependent.

“(c) Nothing in this act shall be construed to require:

“(1) Coverage for services provided to a dependent before the effective date of this act; or

“(2) That an employer or other group policyholder pay all or part of the cost of coverage for a dependent as provided pursuant to this section.”

Section 6(b) of D.C. Law 18-203 provided that the act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect.