All Medicaid Programs

Obsolete Policy

 

Obsolete 0117 - 1003-1 Definitions

Effective Date:  January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2016

Previous Policy

 

The following definitions apply to terms used in this section.

“Avenue H default plan" is the insurance plan an employee is enrolled in by their employer when the employee does not make his own selection. Avenue H identifies each employer's default plan.

“Avenue H, Utah’s Health Insurance Marketplace”, is an internet portal for Utah employers and their employees.  It provides information about available employer-sponsored health plans and an option for employees to make their health insurance decisions on-line.    

 “COBRA Coverage” is a temporary extension of employer health insurance coverage whereby a person who loses coverage under the employer’s group health plan can remain covered for a certain length of time. The person is usually required to pay both the employee and the employer share of the premium, with up to an additional 2% for administrative costs. To be UPP reimbursable, the COBRA insurance must be an UPP Qualified Health Plan.  (See M below.) There are other types of COBRA plans that may qualify for reimbursement:  

FIA COBRA – Continuation coverage provided through FDIC.

 Mini COBRA – Continuation coverage for small businesses (under 25 employees).  Coverage is only available for a maximum of 6 months.  

 

See "Qualifying Events for COBRA" definition below.

"Enrolled" means a person is signed up and receiving health insurance coverage.

“Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage or Plan” is health insurance offered to employees that provides medical care to the employee or their dependents.  This includes plans offered through Avenue H, (see B).  It does not matter how much the employer contributes to the cost of the insurance.

“Health Insurance Coverage or Plan” is a benefit plan offered by a health insurance issuer or government agency that provides coverage for the cost of medical care under any hospital or medical service plan contract, or health maintenance organization contract.  The coverage may be a group plan, including plans offered through Avenue H, or an individual insurance plan.  It may also be Medicare, Medicaid or the Veteran's Health Insurance System.

“Limited Coverage Plans” are insurance plans, which only provide medical care for a single type of service or specific disease, under special or specific circumstances, or where the medical care is secondary to the primary purpose of the insurance.  Examples of limited coverage plans are:

A plan that provides a limited scope of services such as dental or vision benefits only.

Benefits only for long-term care, nursing home care, home health care, community-based care, or any combination thereof.

Coverage only for a specified disease or illness, such as cancer.

Workers' compensation or similar insurance.

Coverage only for accident or disability income insurance, or any combination thereof.

Hospital indemnity or other fixed indemnity insurance, (for example, plans that pay a fixed daily rate to the individual for inpatient stays.)

Coverage for on-site medical clinics.

Liability insurance, including general liability insurance, and homeowners or automobile liability/medical insurance.

Other similar insurance coverage under which benefits for medical care are secondary or incidental to other insurance benefits.

Credit-only insurance, that pays a loan payment during a period of incapacity of disability.

Coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance.

“Medical Care” means amounts paid for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease, or amounts paid for the purpose of affecting any structure or function of the body; transportation primarily for and essential to medical care; and amounts paid for insurance covering medical care.

”Open Enrollment Periods” are times a person may enroll in a health insurance plan if he or she did not enroll at the earliest possible time.

“Qualifying Events” are certain events that allow employers to enroll employees and/or dependents outside of the annual open enrollment period. Examples of qualifying events are:

Eligibility for UPP

New spouse

Birth of a child

Adoption of a child

“Qualifying Events for COBRA” are certain events that would cause an individual to lose health insurance coverage.  The type of qualifying event will determine who the qualified beneficiaries are and the amount of time that a plan must offer the health insurance to them under COBRA.  A plan, at its discretion, may provide longer periods of continuation coverage.

Qualifying Events for Employees:

Voluntary or involuntary termination of employment for reasons other than gross misconduct.

Reduction in the number of hours of employment.

Qualifying Events for Spouses:

Voluntary or involuntary termination of the covered employee’s employment for any reason other than gross misconduct.

Reduction in hours worked by the covered employee.

Covered employee’s becoming entitled to Medicare.

Divorce or legal separation of the covered employee.

Death of the covered employee.

Qualifying Events for Dependent Children:

Loss of dependent child status under the plan rules.

Voluntary or involuntary termination of the covered employee’s employment for any reason other than gross misconduct.

Reduction in the hours worked by the covered employee.

Covered employee’s becoming entitled to Medicare.

Divorce or legal separation of the covered employee.

Death

 

"Student Health Insurance Plan" is a health insurance plan that is offered to students directly through a college, university or other educational facility or through private health insurance companies that offer coverage plans specifically for students. Student health insurance plans are not eligible for UPP reimbursement.

"UPP Qualified Health Plan" is the term applied to any health plan that meets all of the following requirements:

The plan covers physician visits, hospital inpatient services, pharmacy, well child exams and child immunizations.

The network deductible is less than $2500 per person.

The plan pays at least 70% of an in network inpatient stay (after deductible).

The plan does not cover abortion services; OR the plan only covers abortion services in the case where life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term or in the case of incest or rape.

For employer-sponsored health plans only - the employer pays at least 50% of the premium for the primary insured individual.  (See E above.)

For Avenue H plans only - The employer pays at least 50% of the premium for either the Avenue H default plan for the primary insured individual or for any plan the employee selects in Avenue H.

“Utah Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool (HIPUtah) “is a state health insurance pool that provides coverage for high-risk individuals who are unable to obtain coverage in the marketplace.

”Waiting Period” is a period of time that must pass before an individual who is enrolled in an insurance plan can receive coverage for services under the plan.  For example, the individual may enroll in the insurance plan on their first day of employment, but coverage under the policy does not start until the first day of the next month. 

A waiting period is not a period of time that an employer requires the person to be employed before they are allowed to enroll in a group health insurance plan.  For example, an employer requires their employees to work for them for 6 months before they are eligible to enroll in the insurance.  (See section 1003-4 for information about UPP eligibility during this time.)