S.C. Code Ann. § 38-71-785 – Dependent child; medically necessary leave of absence

(A) As used in this section:
1. (1) "Dependent child" means a beneficiary under a policy or certificate of coverage who:
  1. (a) is a dependent child, under the terms of the coverage, of a participant or beneficiary under the coverage; and
  2. (b) was enrolled in the coverage, on the basis of being a student at a postsecondary educational institution immediately before the first date of the medically necessary leave of absence involved.
2. (2) "Health insurance coverage" means as defined in Section 38-71-840(14).
3. (3) "Health insurance issuer" or "issuer" means an entity that provides health insurance coverage in this State as defined in Section 38-71-840(16).
4. (4) "Medically necessary leave of absence" means a leave of absence of a dependent child from a postsecondary educational institution, including an institution of higher education as defined in Section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, or any other change in enrollment of the child at such an institution, that:
  1. (a) commences while the child is suffering from a serious illness or injury;
  2. (b) is medically necessary; and
  3. (c) causes the child to lose student status for purposes of coverage under the terms of the policy or certificate of coverage.
5. (5) "State health plan" means the employee and retiree insurance program provided for in Article 5, Chapter 11, Title 1.
(B) This section applies to health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, including the state health plan, that is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this State and which provides health insurance coverage in the group market.
(C)
1. (1) In the case of a dependent child, a health insurance issuer may not terminate health insurance coverage of the child due to a medically necessary leave of absence before the date that is the earlier of:
  1. (a) one year after the first day of the medically necessary leave of absence; or
  2. (b) the date on which the coverage would otherwise terminate under the terms of the policy or certificate of coverage.
2. (2) The provisions of this subsection apply to health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer only if the issuer has received written certification by a treating physician of the dependent child that states the child is suffering from a serious illness or injury and that the leave of absence or other change of enrollment is medically necessary.
(D) Each health insurance issuer shall include with a notice regarding a requirement for certification of student status for coverage under the policy or coverage in a plain-language description of the terms of this section for continued coverage during medically necessary leaves of absence.
(E) A dependent child whose benefits are continued under this section is entitled to the same benefits during the medically necessary leave of absence as if the child continued to be a covered student at the institution of higher education and was not on a medically necessary leave of absence.
(F) Coverage of the dependent child shall continue for the remainder of the period of the medically necessary leave of absence under the changed coverage in the same manner as it would have under the previous coverage in the case where:
1. (1) a dependent child is in a period of health insurance coverage pursuant to a medically necessary leave of absence;
2. (2) the manner in which the participant or beneficiary is covered under the policy or certificate of coverage changes, whether through a change in health insurance coverage or health insurance issuer, a change from self-insured coverage to health insurance coverage, or otherwise; and
3. (3) the coverage as changed continues to provide coverage of dependent children.