[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 46 (Monday, November 22, 1999)]
[Page 2386]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Federal Regulations Concerning Health Insurance for 
Children

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.