    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [November 15, 1999]
    [Page 2097]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Federal Regulations on Children's Health Insurance
    November 15, 1999

        Today I am proud to announce a new rule that will make it easier for
    children to get health insurance coverage and tougher for noncustodial
    parents to avoid paying for it. This regulation, issued by the
    Department of Health and Human Services, streamlines the process of
    holding noncustodial parents to child support agreements that require
    them to provide for their children's health care needs. The Department
    of Labor also published a companion regulation today providing guidance
    to group health plans about this new process. With these rules, we are
    helping to guarantee that children get the health insurance they have
    been promised.
        These new steps build on my administration's longstanding commitment
    to effective child support enforcement. Since 1992, collections have
    increased by 80 percent, and the number of families receiving support
    has increased by 60 percent. Just last year approximately 2.8 million
    parents delinquent in child support payments were identified, and child
    support enforcement measures that I signed into law are projected to
    increase collections by billions of dollars over the next 10 years. We
    all have a responsibility for the well-being of the next generation.
    Today's action helps ensure that parents paying child support meet that
    responsibility.