(A) As used in this subarticle:

(1) "Affiliation period" means a period which, under the terms of the health insurance coverage offered by a health maintenance organization, must expire before the health insurance coverage becomes effective. The organization is not required to provide health care services or benefits during the period, and no premium may be charged to the participant or beneficiary for any coverage during the period. The period begins on the enrollment date and runs concurrently with any waiting period under the plan.

(2) "Beneficiary" has the meaning given the term under Section 3(8) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

(3) "Bona fide association" means, with respect to health insurance coverage offered in the State, an association which:

(a) has been actively in existence for at least five years;

(b) has been formed and maintained in good faith for purposes other than obtaining insurance;

(c) does not condition membership in the association on any health status-related factor relating to an individual, including an employee of an employer or a dependent of an employee;

(d) makes health insurance coverage offered through the association available to all members regardless of any health status-related factor relating to the members or individuals eligible for coverage through a member;

(e) does not make health insurance coverage offered through the association available other than in connection with a member of the association; and

(f) meets additional requirements as may be imposed under state law.

(4) "COBRA continuation provision" means any of the following:

(a) Part 6, Subtitle B, Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 other than Section 609 of the act;

(b) Section 4908B of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, other than subsection (f)(1) of the section insofar as it relates to pediatric vaccines; or

(c) Title XXII of the Public Health Service Act.

(5) "Church plan" has the meaning given the term under Section 3(33) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

(6) "Director of Insurance" or "director" means the person who is appointed by the Governor upon the advice and consent of the Senate and who is responsible for the operation and management of the Department of Insurance, including all of its divisions. The director may appoint or designate the person or persons who shall serve at the pleasure of the director to carry out the objectives or duties of the department as provided by law. "Director" also includes a designee or deputy director upon whom the director has bestowed any duty or function required of the director by law in managing or supervising the Department of Insurance.

(7) "Employee" has the meaning given the term under Section 3(6) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

(8) "Employer" has the meaning given the term under Section 3(5) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, except that the term includes only employers of two or more employees.

(9) "Employer contribution rule" means a requirement relating to the minimum level or amount of employer contribution toward the premium for enrollment of participants and beneficiaries.

(10) "Enrollment date" means, with respect to an individual covered under a group health plan or health insurance coverage, the date of enrollment of the individual in the plan or coverage or, if earlier, the first day of the waiting period for the enrollment.

(11) "Governmental plan" has the meaning given the term under Section 3(32) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and any governmental plan established or maintained for its employees by the government of the United States or by any agency or instrumentality of the government.

(12) "Group health insurance coverage" means, in connection with a group health plan, health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer in connection with the plan.

(13) "Group health plan" means an employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, to the extent that the plan provides medical care, including items and services paid for as medical care, to employees or their dependents, as defined under the terms of the plan, directly or through insurance, reimbursement, or otherwise.

(14) "Health insurance coverage" means benefits consisting of medical care provided directly, through insurance or reimbursement, or otherwise and including items and services paid for as medical care under any hospital or medical service policy or certificate, hospital or medical service plan contract, or health maintenance organization contract offered by a health insurance issuer, except:

(a) coverage only for accident, or disability income insurance, or any combination of accident and disability income insurance;

(b) coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance;

(c) liability insurance, including general liability insurance and automobile liability insurance;

(d) workers' compensation or similar insurance;

(e) automobile medical payment insurance;

(f) credit-only insurance;

(g) coverage for on-site medical clinics;

(h) other similar insurance coverage, specified in regulations, under which benefits for medical care are secondary or incidental to other insurance benefits;

(i) if offered separately:

(i) limited scope dental or vision benefits;

(ii) benefits for long-term care, nursing home care, home health care, community-based care, or any combination of these;

(iii) other similar, limited benefits as are specified in regulations;

(j) if offered as independent, noncoordinated benefits:

(i) coverage only for a specified disease or illness;

(ii) hospital indemnity or other fixed indemnity insurance;

(k) if offered as a separate insurance policy:

(i) Medicare supplemental health insurance as defined under Section 1882(g)(1) of the Social Security Act;

(ii) coverage supplemental to the coverage provided under Chapter 55, Title 10 of the United States Code; and

(iii) similar supplemental coverage under a group health plan.

(15) "Group participation rule" means a requirement relating to the minimum number of participants or beneficiaries that must be enrolled in relation to a specified percentage of number of eligible individuals or employees of an employer.

(16) "Health insurance issuer" or "issuer" means any entity that provides health insurance coverage in this State. For purposes of this section, "issuer" includes an insurance company, a health maintenance organization, and any other entity providing health insurance coverage which is licensed to engage in the business of insurance in this State and which is subject to state insurance regulation.

(17) "Health maintenance organization" means an organization as defined in Section 38-33-20(7).

(18) "Health status-related factor" means any of the following factors in relation to the individual or a dependent of the individual: health status; medical condition, including both physical and mental illnesses; claims experience; receipt of health care; medical history; genetic information; evidence of insurability, including conditions arising out of acts of domestic violence; or disability.

(19) "Individual health insurance coverage" means health insurance coverage offered to individuals in the individual market but does not include short-term limited duration insurance.

(20) "Individual market" means the market for health insurance coverage offered to individuals other than in connection with a group health plan. The term includes coverage offered in connection with a group health plan that has fewer than two participants as current employees on the first day of the plan year unless the State elects to regulate coverage as coverage issued to small employers as defined in Section 38-71-1330.

(21) "Large group market" means the health insurance market under which individuals obtain health insurance coverage, directly or through any arrangement, on behalf of themselves and their dependents through a group health plan maintained by an employer that is not a small employer, as defined in Section 38-71-1330.

(22) "Late enrollee" means, with respect to coverage under a group health plan, a participant or beneficiary who enrolls under the plan other than during:

(a) the first period in which the individual is eligible to enroll under the plan if the initial enrollment period is a period of at least thirty days; or

(b) a special enrollment period under Section 38-71-850(E).

(23) "Medical care" means amounts paid for:

(a) the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease or amounts paid for the purpose of affecting any structure or function of the body;

(b) amounts paid for transportation primarily for and essential to medical care referred to in subitem (a); and

(c) amounts paid for insurance covering medical care referred to in subitems (a) and (b).

(24) "Network plan" means health insurance coverage of a health insurance issuer under which the financing and delivery of medical care, including items and services paid for as medical care, are provided, in whole or in part, through a defined set of providers under contract with the issuer.

(25) "Participant" has the meaning given the term under Section 3(7) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

(26) "Placement" or being "placed" for adoption, in connection with any placement for adoption of a child with any person, means the assumption and retention by the person of a legal obligation for total or partial support of the child in anticipation of adoption of the child. The child's placement with the person terminates upon the termination of such legal obligation.

(27) "Plan sponsor" has the meaning given the term under Section 3(16)(B) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

(28) "Preexisting condition exclusion" means, with respect to coverage, a limitation or exclusion of benefits relating to a condition based on the fact that the condition was present before the date of enrollment for the coverage, whether or not any medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment was recommended or received before the date. Genetic information may not be treated as a preexisting condition in the absence of a diagnosis of the condition related to the information.

(29) "Small group market" means the health insurance market under which individuals obtain health insurance coverage, directly or through any arrangement, on behalf of themselves and their dependents through a group health plan maintained by a small employer, as defined in Section 38-71-1330.

(30) "Waiting period" means, with respect to a group health plan and an individual who is a potential participant or beneficiary in the plan, the period that must pass with respect to the individual before the individual is eligible to be covered for benefits under the terms of the plan.

HISTORY: 1997 Act No. 5, Section 3.