Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-102
§1396k Assignment, Enforcement, and Collection of Rights of Payments for Medical Care; Establishment of Procedures Pursuant to State Plan; Amounts Retained by State
Title 42 › CHAPTER 7 — SOCIAL SECURITY › SUBCHAPTER XIX — GRANTS TO STATES FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS › § 1396k
Summary
States must make people who can legally sign an assignment give the State their rights to get support or third-party payments for medical care when those people get Medicaid. Those people must help the State prove paternity for children born out of wedlock, help get support and payments for themselves and such children, and help find anyone else who might have to pay for care. A person does not have to do these things if they are covered by 1396a(l)(1)(A) or if the State finds they have good cause, using rules from the Secretary that consider the best interests involved. States must also work with other state agencies, courts, and law enforcement to collect these payments. When the State collects money because of these assignments, it keeps only what it needs to repay the Medicaid costs (including repaying the Federal share). Any leftover money goes to the person.
Full Legal Text
Title 42, §1396k
The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)For the purpose of assisting in the collection of medical support payments and other payments for medical care owed to recipients of medical assistance under the State plan approved under this subchapter, a State plan for medical assistance shall—
(1)provide that, as a condition of eligibility for medical assistance under the State plan to an individual who has the legal capacity to execute an assignment for himself, the individual is required—
(A)to assign the State any rights, of the individual or of any other person who is eligible for medical assistance under this subchapter and on whose behalf the individual has the legal authority to execute an assignment of such rights, to support (specified as support for the purpose of medical care by a court or administrative order) and to payment for medical care from any third party;
(B)to cooperate with the State (i) in establishing the paternity of such person (referred to in subparagraph (A)) if the person is a child born out of wedlock, and (ii) in obtaining support and payments (described in subparagraph (A)) for himself and for such person, unless (in either case) the individual is described in section 1396a(l)(1)(A) of this title or the individual is found to have good cause for refusing to cooperate as determined by the State agency in accordance with standards prescribed by the Secretary, which standards shall take into consideration the best interests of the individuals involved; and
(C)to cooperate with the State in identifying, and providing information to assist the State in pursuing, any third party who may be liable to pay for care and services available under the plan, unless such individual has good cause for refusing to cooperate as determined by the State agency in accordance with standards prescribed by the Secretary, which standards shall take into consideration the best interests of the individuals involved; and
(2)provide for entering into cooperative arrangements (including financial arrangements), with any appropriate agency of any State (including, with respect to the enforcement and collection of rights of payment for medical care by or through a parent, with a State’s agency established or designated under section 654(3) of this title) and with appropriate courts and law enforcement officials, to assist the agency or agencies administering the State plan with respect to (A) the enforcement and collection of rights to support or payment assigned under this section and (B) any other matters of common concern.
(b)Such part of any amount collected by the State under an assignment made under the provisions of this section shall be retained by the State as is necessary to reimburse it for medical assistance payments made on behalf of an individual with respect to whom such assignment was executed (with appropriate reimbursement of the Federal Government to the extent of its participation in the financing of such medical assistance), and the remainder of such amount collected shall be paid to such individual.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2018—Subsec. (a)(1)(A). Pub. L. 115–123, § 53102(b)(1), repealed Pub. L. 113–67, § 202(b)(2), and provided that the provisions amended by section 202(b) shall be applied and administered as if such amendment had never been enacted. See 2013 Amendment note below. 2013—Subsec. (a)(1)(A). Pub. L. 113–67, § 202(b)(2), which directed substitution of “any payment from a third party that has a legal liability to pay for care and services available under the plan” for “payment for medical care from any third party”, was repealed by Pub. L. 115–123, § 53102(b)(1). 1990—Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 101–508 inserted “the individual is described in section 1396a(l)(1)(A) of this title or” after “unless (in either case)”. 1986—Subsec. (a)(1)(C). Pub. L. 99–272 added subpar. (C). 1984—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98–369 substituted “State plan for medical assistance shall” for “State plan for medical assistance may”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2018 Amendment Pub. L. 115–123, div. E, title XII, § 53102(b)(1), Feb. 9, 2018, 132 Stat. 298, provided that the repeal of section 202(b) of Pub. L. 113–67 is effective Sept. 30, 2017, and the provisions amended by section 202(b) shall be applied and administered as if such
Amendments
had never been enacted. In addition, such repeal by section 53102(b)(1) of Pub. L. 115–123 applicable with respect to any open claims, including claims pending, generated, or filed, after Sept. 30, 2017, see section 53102(b)(3) of Pub. L. 115–123, set out as a note under section 1396a of this title.
Effective Date
of 1990 Amendment Pub. L. 101–508, title IV, § 4606(b), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–170, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 5, 1990].”
Effective Date
of 1986 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 99–272 applicable to calendar quarters beginning on or after Apr. 7, 1986, except as otherwise provided, see section 9503(g)(1), (2) of Pub. L. 99–272, set out as a note under section 1396a of this title.
Effective Date
of 1984 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 98–369 effective Oct. 1, 1984, except as otherwise provided, see section 2367(c) of Pub. L. 98–369, set out as a note under section 1396a of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 1396k
Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102