17B:30-42 Definitions relative to collection of unpaid hospital accounts.

2. As used in this act:

"Coinsurance" means the percentage of a charge covered by a health plan that must be paid by a person covered under the health plan.

"Collection agency" means the Department of the Treasury and any company, agency, or law firm engaged in collecting debts that the Department of the Treasury may determine to engage to assist it in collecting debts.

"Debt" means money owed by a patient to a hospital, or by someone who is legally responsible for payment for a patient, and includes late payment penalties and interest thereon. It does not include monies owed to a hospital by a health plan for services provided by the hospital to a person with coverage under that plan, or amounts subject to dispute between a health plan and a hospital.

"Debtor" means an individual owing money to or having a delinquent account with a hospital, which obligation has not been adjudicated, satisfied by court order, set aside by court order, or discharged in bankruptcy.

"Deductible" means the amount of covered charges under a health plan that an individual must pay for services before a health plan begins to pay on a covered charge.

"Department" means the Department of Health.

"General Hospital" and "hospital" have the meanings set forth in N.J.A.C.8:43G-1.2.

"Health plan" means an individual or group health benefits plan that provides or pays the cost of hospital and medical expenses, dental or vision care, or prescription drugs, and is provided by or through an insurer, health maintenance organization, the Medicaid program, the Medicare program, a Medicare+Choice provider or Medicare supplemental insurer, an employer-sponsored group health benefits plan, government or church-sponsored health benefits plan or a multi-employer welfare arrangement.

"Medicaid" means the program established pursuant to P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.).

"Medicare" means the program established by Pub.L.89-97 (42 U.S.C. s.1395 et seq.) as amended, or its successor plan or plans.

"Patient" means a person who receives services in a hospital on an inpatient or outpatient basis.

L.2003, c.112, s.2; amended 2010, c.87, s.5; 2012, c.17, s.69.