17B:30-50 Definitions relative to processing health claims.

3. As used in sections 3 through 7 of P.L.2005, c.352 (C.17B:30-50 through C.17B:30-54):

"Authorization" means a determination required under a health benefits plan, that based on the information provided, satisfies the requirements under the member's health benefits plan for medical necessity.

"Carrier" means an insurance company, health service corporation, hospital service corporation, medical service corporation, or health maintenance organization authorized to issue health benefits plans in this State.

"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance.

"Covered person" means a person on whose behalf a carrier offering the plan is obligated to pay benefits or provide services pursuant to the health benefits plan.

"Covered service" means a health care service provided to a covered person under a health benefits plan for which the carrier is obligated to pay benefits or provide services.

"Generally accepted standards of medical practice" means standards that are based on: credible scientific evidence published in peer-reviewed medical literature generally recognized by the relevant medical community; physician and health care provider specialty society recommendations; the views of physicians and health care providers practicing in relevant clinical areas; and any other relevant factor as determined by the commissioner by regulation.

"Health benefits plan" means a benefits plan which pays or provides hospital and medical expense benefits for covered services, and is delivered or issued for delivery in this State by or through a carrier. Health benefits plan includes, but is not limited to, Medicare supplement coverage and Medicare+Choice contracts to the extent not otherwise prohibited by federal law. For the purposes of sections 3 through 7 of P.L.2005, c.352 (C.17B:30-50 through C.17B:30-54), health benefits plan shall not include the following plans, policies, or contracts: accident only, credit, disability, long-term care, Civilian Health and Medical Program for the Uniformed Services, CHAMPUS supplement coverage, coverage arising out of a workers' compensation or similar law, automobile medical payment insurance, personal injury protection insurance issued pursuant to P.L.1972, c.70 (C.39:6A-1 et seq.), or hospital confinement indemnity coverage.

"Hospital" means a general acute care facility licensed by the Commissioner of Health pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.), including rehabilitation, psychiatric, and long-term acute facilities.

"Medical necessity" or "medically necessary" means or describes a health care service that a health care provider, exercising his prudent clinical judgment, would provide to a covered person for the purpose of evaluating, diagnosing, or treating an illness, injury, disease, or its symptoms and that is: in accordance with the generally accepted standards of medical practice; clinically appropriate, in terms of type, frequency, extent, site, and duration, and considered effective for the covered person's illness, injury, or disease; not primarily for the convenience of the covered person or the health care provider; and not more costly than an alternative service or sequence of services at least as likely to produce equivalent therapeutic or diagnostic results as to the diagnosis or treatment of that covered person's illness, injury, or disease.

"Network provider" means a participating hospital or physician under contract or other agreement with a carrier to furnish health care services to covered persons.

"Payer" means a carrier which requires that utilization management be performed to authorize the approval of a health care service and includes an organized delivery system that is certified by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance or licensed by the commissioner pursuant to P.L.1999, c.409 (C.17:48H-1 et seq.).

"Payer's agent" or "agent" means an intermediary contracted or affiliated with the payer to provide authorization for service or perform administrative functions including, but not limited to, the payment of claims or the receipt, processing, or transfer of claims or claim information.

"Physician" means a physician licensed pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.

"Utilization management" means a system for reviewing the appropriate and efficient allocation of health care services under a health benefits plan according to specified guidelines, in order to recommend or determine whether, or to what extent, a health care service given or proposed to be given to a covered person should or will be reimbursed, covered, paid for, or otherwise provided under the health benefits plan. The system may include, but shall not be limited to: preadmission certification, the application of practice guidelines, continued stay review, discharge planning, preauthorization of ambulatory care procedures, and retrospective review.

L.2005, c.352, s.3; amended 2012, c.17, s.71.