Review of the Ability of Non-Custodial Parents to Contribute Towards Their Children's Medicaid Costs in Connecticut

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

We statistically sampled a population of 33,791 Medicaid eligible children in Connecticut whose non-custodial parents (NCP) were paying child support and were ordered to provide medical support for their children.  We estimate that the NCPs of approximately 12,500 of these children could have contributed toward part or all of their children's medical costs paid by Medicaid from April 2001 through March 2002.  We also estimate that about $9.3 million could have been collected from these NCPs, covering most of the $13.8 million in Medicaid costs incurred by the State and Federal Governments for medical services provided these children.  Among other things, we recommended that Connecticut; (1) modify existing medical support orders to require NCPs to contribute towards the Medicaid costs for their children if health insurance is not otherwise available at reasonable costs, and (2) modify existing child support state laws to provide standard guidelines for magistrates for determining child and medical support orders, and adopt a standard method for determining the amount a NCP can pay as reimbursement of Medicaid costs. State officials concurred with our recommendations.

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