26-15-135. Coverage of children.

(a) No insurance company, multi-employer trust or other provider of an individual, group or blanket health insurance product in this state shall:

(i) Refuse to accept and honor an otherwise valid claim for a covered service which is filed by either parent of a covered child, or by the department of family services in the case of an assignment under W.S. 20-6-106, who submits valid copies of medical bills;

(ii) Refuse to provide medical insurance coverage of a child under the health plan of the child's parent on the grounds that:

(A) The child was born out of wedlock;

(B) The child is not claimed as a dependent on the parent's federal tax return; or

(C) The child does not reside with the parent or in the insurer's service area.

(iii) Refuse to provide medical insurance coverage for an otherwise insurable child under the policy if the child for whom the claim is made is presumed to be the natural child of the insured under W.S. 14-2-504 or 14-2-822.

(b) Where a child has health coverage through an insurer of a noncustodial parent or a parent sharing custody or temporary control of the child the insurer shall:

(i) Provide such information to either parent sharing custody or temporary control of the child as may be necessary for the child to obtain benefits through that coverage;

(ii) Permit either parent sharing custody or temporary control of the child, or the provider with either parent's approval, to submit claims for covered services without the approval of the other parent; and

(iii) Make payments on claims submitted in accordance with paragraph (ii) of this subsection directly to the parent who paid for the services, the provider or the department of health as administrator of the Wyoming Medical Assistance and Services Act.

(c) Where a parent is required by a court or administrative order to provide health coverage for a child and the parent is eligible for family health coverage, the insurer shall be required:

(i) To permit the parent to enroll under the family coverage, a child who is otherwise eligible for the coverage without regard to any enrollment season restrictions;

(ii) If the parent is enrolled but fails to make application to obtain coverage for the child, to enroll the child under family coverage upon application of the child's other parent, the department of health in administering the Wyoming Medical Assistance and Services Act, or the department of family services in administering the child support enforcement program;

(iii) To complete and return the plan administrator response in conjunction with the national medical support notice to the department of family services within forty (40) business days after the date of the notice; and

(iv) Not to disenroll or eliminate coverage of the child unless the insurer is provided satisfactory written evidence that:

(A) The court or administrative order is no longer in effect; or

(B) The child is or will be enrolled in comparable health coverage through another insurer which will take effect not later than the effective date of disenrollment.

(d) An insurer may not impose requirements on a state agency, which has been assigned the rights of an individual eligible for medical assistance under the Wyoming Medical Assistance and Services Act and covered for health benefits from the insurer, that are different from requirements applicable to an agent or assignee of any other individual so covered.