Effective 01 Jan 2008, see footnote

376.776. Hospital and medical expense provisions extended for certain handicapped and dependent children past normal coverage age. — 1. This section applies to the hospital and medical expense provisions of an accident or sickness insurance policy.

2. If a policy provides that coverage of a dependent child terminates upon attainment of the limiting age for dependent children specified in the policy, such policy so long as it remains in force shall be deemed to provide that attainment of such limiting age does not operate to terminate the hospital and medical coverage of such child while the child is and continues to be both incapable of self-sustaining employment by reason of mental or physical handicap and chiefly dependent upon the policyholder for support and maintenance. Proof of such incapacity and dependency must be furnished to the insurer by the policyholder at least thirty-one days after the child's attainment of the limiting age. The insurer may require at reasonable intervals during the two years following the child's attainment of the limiting age subsequent proof of the child's disability and dependency. After such two-year period, the insurer may require subsequent proof not more than once each year.

3. If a policy provides that coverage of a dependent child terminates upon attainment of the limiting age for dependent children specified in the policy, such policy, so long as it remains in force until the dependent child attains the limiting age, shall remain in force at the option of the policyholder. The policyholder's election for continued coverage under this section shall be furnished by the policyholder to the insurer within thirty-one days after the child's attainment of the limiting age. As used in this subsection, a dependent child is a person who:

(1) Is a resident of this state;

(2) Is unmarried and no more than twenty-five years of age; and

(3) Not provided coverage as a named subscriber, insured, enrollee, or covered person under any group or individual health benefit plan, or entitled to benefits under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, P.L. 89-97, 42 U.S.C. Section 1395, et seq.

4. This section applies only to policies delivered or issued for delivery in this state more than one hundred twenty days after October 13, 1967.

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(L. 1967 p. 577, A.L. 2007 H.B. 818)

Effective 1-01-08