Sec. 38a-549. Coverage for adopted children.
Sec. 38a-549. Coverage for adopted children. (a) Each group health insurance
policy providing coverage of the type specified in subdivisions (1), (2), (4), (6), (10),
(11) and (12) of section 38a-469 delivered, issued for delivery, amended, renewed or
continued in this state shall provide coverage for a child legally placed for adoption
with an employee or other member of the covered group who is an adoptive parent or
a prospective adoptive parent, even though the adoption has not been finalized, provided
the child lives in the household of such employee or member and the child is dependent
upon such employee or member for support and maintenance.
(b) Coverage for such child legally placed for adoption shall consist of coverage
for injury and sickness including necessary care and treatment of medically diagnosed
congenital defects and birth abnormalities within the limits of the policy.
(c) If payment of a specific premium or subscription fee is required to provide
coverage for a child legally placed for adoption with the insured or subscriber who is
an adoptive parent or a prospective adoptive parent, the policy may require that notification of acceptance of such child and payment of the required premium or fees be furnished to the insurer, hospital or medical service corporation or health care center within
thirty-one days after the acceptance of such child in order to continue coverage beyond
such thirty-one-day period, provided failure to furnish such notice or pay such premium
or fees shall not prejudice any claim originating within such thirty-one-day period.
(d) Such policy (1) shall cover such child legally placed for adoption on the same
basis as other dependents, and (2) may not contain any provision concerning preexisting
conditions, insurability, eligibility or health underwriting approval for a child legally
placed for adoption, except that an insurer, hospital or medical service corporation or
health care center may require health underwriting for a child legally placed for adoption
if a required premium or subscription fee and completed application materials are not
provided to the insurer, hospital or medical service corporation or health care center
before the expiration of the thirty-one-day period following the date the child was legally
placed for adoption.
(P.A. 91-97, S. 2; P.A. 02-96, S. 2; P.A. 03-70, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 02-96 amended Subsec. (a) to substitute "each" for "every" and "amended, renewed or continued in this
state" for "amended or renewed in this state on or after October 1, 1991," and added Subsec. (d) re coverage and prohibited
provisions; P.A. 03-70 amended Subsec. (c) to substitute "premium or subscription fee" for "premium fee" and amended
Subsec. (d) to add exception re health underwriting if required premium or subscription fee and completed application
materials are not provided before expiration of thirty-one-day period.
See Sec. 38a-508 for similar provisions re individual policies.