Information Memorandum IM9602

Giving Hope and Support to America's Children
Information Memorandum IM9602


                 Office of Child Support
                   Enforcement (OCSE)
                 Information Memorandum



Memorandum No. 96-02                                  Date:May 29, 1996

U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services
Administration for Children
  and Families
Washington, DC 20447





TO:            STATE AGENCIES ADMINISTERING CHILD SUPPORT
               ENFORCEMENT PLANS UNDER TITLE IV-D OF THE SOCIAL
               SECURITY ACT AND OTHER INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS

SUBJECT:       CLARIFICATION OF THE PROCEDURES FOR OBTAINING
MEDICAL        SUPPORT FROM MILITARY PARENTS

SUMMARY:       The following information summarizes the issues
               and procedures to obtain medical support at
               military facilities or medical coverage through
               the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the
               Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS)

BACKGROUND     Obtaining medical support from the military for a
               child support recipient is easier than you think,
               but not the same as notifying a civilian employer
               of an existing court order against an employee.
               Before anything else, the child must first be
               determined to be a military dependent and
               enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility
               Reporting System (DEERS).

CASE #1:       Where the family is intact, the military member,
               known as the sponsor, initiates enrollment of the
               child into DEERS by certifying the child is a
               dependent in terms of support and residency by
               providing the necessary documents and then
               filling out a DD Form 1172.  If the child is
               residing in the military member's household,
               paternity does not have to be determined; however,
               he has to certify that he is providing over 50
               percent of the child's support.  For example, this
               could be the case if a military father has
               accepted his wife's child by a previous marriage.

CASE #2        For a child of a IV-D case, the documents needed
               for enrollment into DEERS should include a
               paternity determination, birth certificate, and a
               court order for child support--or other means of
               proving support.  The process is essentially the
               same in both situations.  While in the first case
               the military member will initiate action, in the
               second case the custodial parent will go to the
               nearest military base or enrollment site and
               present the appropriate documents to the verifying
               officer.  In this
                 case, the verifying official will assist the custodial
                 parent in filling out the necessary paperwork,and before
                 the DEERS enrollment can be completed, an attempt will be
                 made to have the sponsor sign the paperwork. The attempt
                 to contact the sponsor could be the next day, or the next
                 week, depending on where the sponsor is located. The
                 normal procedure is to have the sponsor sign the paperwork.
                 If the sponsor is unwilling to sign, the verifying official
                 may sign on behalf of the sponsor after all efforts to
                 obtain the sponsor's signature have failed and those
                 efforts are documented.

                 The custodial parent may start the process by mail and then
                 come in to sign final documents.  If the child is over ten
                 years old, a military dependent's identification card will
                 be issued, so a picture will be taken.  Although the mail-
                 in process normally takes more than ten days, the custodial
                 parent may want to start that way to have the processed and
                 to give the sponsor time to sign the form.

                 In the event a custodial parent has a child in desperate
                 need of medical assistance, a temporary I.D. can be issued
                 at the discretion of the base-level chief of personnel.
                 Note: if medical care is given and the eligibility to the
                 entitlement is later determined to be inappropriate, the
                 custodial parent will be held liable for the cost of that
                 medical care.

                 If the custodial parent wishes to enroll by mail, they
                 should contact the enrollment site or the nearest military
                 installation for instructions.  Location of the nearest
                 enrollment site or military installation, can be obtained
                 from the DEERS telephone center helpline noted in this IM.

                 Once enrolled in DEERS, the child is eligible to receive
                 medical care in two ways.  The child can obtain medical
                 care and medications from military hospitals and clinics
                 free of charge.  The child can also use the cost share
                 medical coverage, CHAMPUS, with civilian health providers.
                 (Always try to get health care from a uniformed service
                 hospital or clinic first.  Using the military facilities,
                 instead of CHAMPUS, saves money and paperwork.) Military
                 bases have Health Benefits Advisors to assist custodial
                 parents on their medical options and choices.

                 CHAMPUS uses the term "share" rather than "covered" because
                 the cost is "shared" by the beneficiary after an annual
                 deductible cost is satisfied.  Claims to CHAMPUS can be
                 submitted up to a year after treatment.  Date of coverage
                 is determined by either the child's date of birth or date
                 of parent's enlistment, not the DEERS enrollment date.  A
                 CHAMPUS handbook is available (see address below) that
                 answers many questions and provides more information and
                 instruction for CHAMPUS users.
                 Reminder.  If you or the custodial parent have questions on
                 DEERS--or are unable to determine the nearest military base
                 or enrollment site, contact the DEERS Telephone Center
                 from 6:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through
                 Friday, at the following numbers:

                 800-334-4162 (California only)
                 800-527-5602 (Alaska and Hawaii only)
                 800-538-9552 (All other states)

                 If additional help is still needed to locate the nearest
                 enrollment site, ACF Regional offices can call the Central
                 Office to access a database that will identify nearby
                 enrollment sites based on zip codes.  The information
                 provided will lists contacts, phone numbers to verify
                 necessary documents, and hours of operation.


CONTACTS:        For more information on CHAMPUS coverage and to obtain a
                 copy of the free handbook write to:  OCHAMPUS, Public
                 Affairs Branch, Aurora, Colorado 80045-6900, or call (303)
                 361-1000/1129.






                                               David Gray Ross
                                               Deputy Director
                                               Office of Child Support
                                                 Enforcement
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