PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 23, 1998
Child Support Performance Improvement Act of 1998 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make incentive payments to States, according to specified formulae, with respect to their performance in paternity establishment and child support order enforcement, including cost-effectiveness. (Sec. 2) Instructs the Secretary to study and report to the Congress on: (1) the implementation of such incentive payment system (especially on variations in State performance attributable to demographic or economic variables); and (2) the development of a performance measure based on State effectiveness in establishing and enforcing child medical support obligations (including recommendations for incorporating such measure into the incentive payment system in a revenue neutral manner). Requires the Secretary to implement recommendations in such reports, unless they are disapproved by a joint resolution of Congress enacted according to specified procedures. Repeals the predecessor incentive payment system. (Sec. 3) Requires the director of the Department of Health and Human Resources unit dealing with child support and establishment of paternity to: (1) ensure that data required for the operation of State programs is complete and reliable by providing Federal guidance, technical assistance, and monitoring; (2) develop jointly with the Secretary of Labor a National Standardized Medical Support Notice (Notice) for State enforcement of medical support orders, as well as appropriate procedures for State agency transmittal of the Notice to employers; (3) establish with the Secretary of Labor a medical support working group to identify impediments to effective enforcement of medical support by State agencies and recommend appropriate measures to address such impediments; and (4) promulgate implementing regulations. (Sec. 4) Requires States to have statutorily prescribed procedures under which all child support orders include child health care coverage that is enforced through use of the Notice. Prescribes enforcement guidelines for enrollment of the child in the health care coverage of the noncustodial parent's employer, as well as mandatory paycheck contributions by such parent to pay for such coverage. Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to declare such Notice a qualified medical child support order with which a plan administrator must comply. Directs the Secretary of Labor to report to certain congressional committees any recommendations for legislation to improve the effectiveness and enforcement of qualified medical child support orders under ERISA.
People & committees
Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV] · D–WV
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2424-2425)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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