Review of the Ability of Noncustodial Parents to Contribute Toward the Medical Costs of Title IV-D Children in New York Under the State Children's Health Insurance Program

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The report points out that New York has an opportunity to increase enrollment in the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and have noncustodial parents pay a portion of the associated costs.  Based on a statistically valid sample, we estimated that the noncustodial parents of 36,877 Title IV-D children eligible for SCHIP, but not enrolled, could have contributed about $22.3 million toward the $40.7 million in premiums that would have been incurred had the children been enrolled in SCHIP.  Based on another statistical sample, we estimated that the noncustodial parents of 12,347 children, who received SCHIP benefits, could have contributed about $5.1 million toward the $9.3 million in SCHIP premiums paid on the children's behalf.  We recommended that the New York  Division of Child Support Enforcement coordinate with the Department of Health to revise New York's Public Health Law so that the State can realize cost savings associated with the SCHIP program.