Every group policy or certificate of sickness and accident insurance delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state providing coverage on an expense-incurred basis, and every individual policy of sickness and accident insurance delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state which provides coverage on an expense-incurred basis, either of which makes coverage available for family members of the insured, shall, as to such family members' coverage, also provide that any sickness and accident insurance benefits applicable for children shall be payable with respect to a newly born child of the insured from the moment of birth.

The coverage for newly born children shall consist of coverage of injury or sickness, including the necessary care and treatment of medically diagnosed congenital defects and birth abnormalities.

If payment of a specific premium is required to provide coverage for an additional child, the certificate or policy may require that notification of birth of a newly born child and payment of the required premium must be furnished to the insurer within thirty-one days after the date of birth in order to have the coverage continue beyond such period.

The requirements of this section apply to all such individual or group sickness and accident insurance policies delivered or issued for delivery in this state on or after January 1, 1975,. and all such individual or group sickness and accident insurance policies renewed in this state on or after January 1, 1978.

Effective Date: 06-30-1997 .