To ensure that children have access to quality medical care, it is the purpose of the Mandatory Medical Support Act to require parents to provide or purchase health care coverage for their minor children when such coverage is available.
History: Laws 1990, ch. 78, § 2; 2003, ch. 287, § 2; 2007, ch. 165, § 2; 2021, ch. 20, § 5.
The 2021 amendment, effective July 1, 2021, after "provide or purchase", changed "health insurance coverage" to "health care coverage".
The 2007 amendment, effective June 15, 2007, made the Mandatory Medical Support Act apply to parents whether or not they are responsible for the support of their minor children and eliminated the provision that parents provide dental insurance.
The 2003 amendment, effective April 8, 2003, deleted "of divorced and separated parents" near the beginning, inserted "provide or" preceding "purchase health insurance", and deleted "through employers or unions" at the end.
Medical coverage alone not "child support." — Child support obligation was not met merely by father's provision of medical insurance for child, where such coverage was required by this section, and was in addition to, not in lieu of, father's support obligations under the child support guidelines. Sisneroz v. Polanco, 1999-NMCA-039, 126 N.M. 779, 975 P.2d 392.
Structure 2021 New Mexico Statutes
Article 4C - Mandatory Medical Support
Section 40-4C-1 - Short title.
Section 40-4C-3 - Definitions.
Section 40-4C-4 - Medical support; order.
Section 40-4C-5 - Order; proof of compliance; notice.
Section 40-4C-6 - Obligations; employers, unions and carriers; plan.
Section 40-4C-7 - Health care coverage required.
Section 40-4C-8 - Limitation on application.
Section 40-4C-9 - Authorization for claims.
Section 40-4C-10 - Employer, union or carrier notice.
Section 40-4C-11 - Release of information.
Section 40-4C-12 - Medical support obligor liability.