IV. Health Insurance, Extraordinary Medical Expenses, and Childcare Costs

1. Law
2. Arkansas Code
3. Family Law
4. Appendix Administrative Order Number 10 — Child Support Guidelines
5. IV. Health Insurance, Extraordinary Medical Expenses, and Childcare Costs

Three additional child-rearing expenses—health insurance premiums, extraordinary medical expenses, and childcare expenses—shall be added to the Worksheet and must be considered by the court when determining the total child-support obligation. If either or both parents carry health insurance for the child(ren), incur extraordinary medical expenses for the child(ren), or pay for childcare expenses for one or more children who receive support, the cost of these expenses shall be added to the Worksheet. The court may in turn add one or more of these expenses to the basic child-support obligation as detailed below.

1. Health insurance: The court shall consider provisions for the children’s health care needs through health insurance coverage. Health insurance coverage is considered reasonable if the cost of dependent coverage does not exceed 5% of the gross income of the parent who is to provide coverage. The court may require coverage by one or both parents who can obtain the most comprehensive coverage through an employer or otherwise, and at the most reasonable cost.If the employer provides some coverage, then only the amount the employee pays shall be used in the calculation of support. This amount may be determined by the difference between self-only coverage and family coverage, or the cost of medical insurance for the child. If the amounts for self-only and family coverage cannot be verified, then the total cost of the premium may be divided by the total number of persons covered by the policy and then multiplied by the number of children in the support order. If the party providing coverage does not incur an additional cost to add the child(ren), then no amount shall be added to the child-support obligation for insurance.
2. Extraordinary Medical Expenses: Extraordinary medical expenses may be added to the basic child-support obligation and may include uninsured expenses for a single illness or condition. It may include but is not limited to reasonable and necessary costs for orthodontia, dental treatment, asthma treatment, physical therapy, uninsured chronic health problems, and professional counseling or psychiatric therapy for diagnosed mental disorders (including any reasonable treatment or diagnostic testing needed to diagnose whether there is a recognized mental disorder or disability in the first place).
3. Childcare Costs: The childcare costs that a parent incurs due to employment or the search for employment is the third add-on to the Worksheet, and they may be considered in the total child-support obligation. Childcare costs must be reasonable, not to exceed the level required to provide quality care for child(ren) from a licensed provider.

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