Dental insurance now required in Dallas Texas child custody orders

Originally published by Michelle O'Neil.

The Texas Legislature passed a new law adding dental insurance to the list of required insurance provisions in child custody orders in Texas, including Dallas. This expands the requirement of medical support beyond just routine health insurance. Many parents provide dental or vision insurance, but haven’t been required to do so under the law. Parents are now required to provide dental support for their children, including paying for dental insurance and paying for dental bills of children that are not covered by insurance. The interesting part of this new law is that it goes into effect September 1, 2018. This gives parents and future divorcing parents ample time to obtain dental insurance before it is required.

The law defines the terms used as follows:

“Dental insurance” means insurance coverage that provides preventive dental care and other dental services, including usual dentist services, office visits, examinations, X-rays, and emergency services, that may be provided through a single service health maintenance organization or other private or public organization.

“Dental support” means periodic payments or a lump-sum payment made under an order to cover dental expenses, including dental insurance coverage, incurred for the benefit of a child.

See the enrolled version of the new law here.

 

Curated by Texas Bar Today. Follow us on Twitter @texasbartoday.

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