§ 56-7-2347 — Coverage of children in custody of guardians

(a) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, any individual, franchise, blanket or group policy issued pursuant to this title or any medical service plan, contract, hospital service corporation contract, hospital and medical service contract, fraternal benefit society or health maintenance organization that provides hospital expense insurance, surgical expense insurance, medical or major medical services insurance and that is entered into, delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed, excepting individual insurance policy renewal, by agreement or otherwise, beginning January 1, 1994, shall provide benefits for minor children who are by court order in the custody of a guardian who is a resident of this state covered under any such policy or plan issued to or on behalf of the guardian, unless the policy or plan specifically excludes or reduces the benefits. (b) This section shall not apply to policies that provide only hospital indemnity benefits or to policies that provide only benefits for specified accidents or specified diseases. (c) Any increase in expenditure requirements on a municipality or a county resulting from this section shall be appropriated from funds that the municipality or county receives from the state-shared taxes that are not earmarked by statute for a particular purpose.

Legislative History

Acts 1994, ch. 841, § 1.