California law requires the court to order parents to provide health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) for their children if it is available at reasonable cost. Group insurance available through an employer is presumed to be "available at reasonable cost." The court will also order a National Medical Support Notice (NMSN) which requires an employer to enroll the child (ren) in a health insurance plan and to deduct the cost of the plan from the wages of the parent.
IV-D Kids
Under certain circumstances, the court may order that the children be enrolled in a special low-cost health insurance plan named IV-D Kids ("four D Kids"). The insurance is provided by either Blue Shield Insurance or Kaiser Permanente under a special agreement with the Sacramento County Child Support Services Dept.
Healthy Families Insurance
A special health insurance program for low-income families funded by the state and federal government. It can only be used when no other coverage is available to either parent. Information and application forms are available by calling 1-800-880-5305. NOTE: Even if the family gets and maintains Healthy Families Insurance state law requires child support agencies to force the family to get other insurance if it's available.
