20-2501. Definitions; scope
A. In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. "Adverse decision" means a utilization review determination by the utilization
review agent that a requested service or claim for service is not a covered service or is
not medically necessary under the plan if that determination results in a documented
denial or nonpayment of the service or claim.
2. "Benefits based on the health status of the insured" means a contract of
insurance to pay a fixed benefit amount, without regard to the specific services
received, to a policyholder who meets certain eligibility criteria based on health status
including:
(a) A disability income insurance policy that pays a fixed daily, weekly or monthly
benefit amount to an insured who is deemed disabled as defined by the policy terms.
(b) A hospital indemnity policy that pays a fixed daily benefit during hospital
confinement.
(c) A disability insurance policy that pays a fixed daily, weekly or monthly
benefit amount to an insured who is certified by a licensed health care professional as
chronically ill as defined by the policy terms.
(d) A disability insurance policy that pays a fixed daily, weekly or monthly
benefit amount to an insured who suffers from a prolonged physical illness, disability or
cognitive disorder as defined by the policy terms.
3. "Claim" means a request for payment for a service already provided. Claim does
not include:
(a) Claim adjustments for usual and customary charges for a service or coordination
of benefits between health care insurers.
(b) A request for payment under a policy or contract that pays benefits based on
the health status of the insured and that does not reimburse the cost of or provide
covered services.
4. "Covered service" means a service that is included in a policy, evidence of
coverage or similar document that specifies which services, insurance or other benefits
are included or covered.
5. "Denial" means a direct or indirect determination regarding all or part of a
request for any service or a direct determination regarding a claim that may trigger a
request for review or reconsideration. Denial does not include:
(a) Enforcement of a health care insurer's deductibles, copayments or coinsurance
requirements or adjustments for usual and customary charges, deductibles, copayments or
coinsurance requirements for a service or coordination of benefits between health care
insurers.
(b) The rejection of a request for payment under a policy or contract that pays
benefits based on the health status of the insured and that does not reimburse the cost
of or provide covered services.
6. "Department" means the department of insurance.
7. "Director" means the director of the department of insurance.
8. "Health care insurer" means a disability insurer, group disability insurer,
blanket disability insurer, health care services organization, hospital service
corporation, prepaid dental plan organization, medical service corporation, dental
service corporation or optometric service corporation or a hospital, medical, dental and
optometric service corporation.
9. "Indirect denial" means a failure to communicate authorization or
nonauthorization to the member by the utilization review agent within ten business days
after the utilization review agent receives the request for a covered service.
10. "Provider" means the physician or other licensed practitioner identified to the
utilization review agent as having primary responsibility for providing care, treatment
and services rendered to a patient.
11. "Service" means a diagnostic or therapeutic medical or health care service,
benefit or treatment.
12. "Utilization review" means a system for reviewing the appropriate and efficient
allocation of inpatient hospital resources, inpatient medical services and outpatient
surgery services that are being given or are proposed to be given to a patient, and of
any medical, surgical and health care services or claims for services that may be covered
by a health care insurer depending on determinable contingencies, including without
limitation outpatient services, in-office consultations with medical specialists,
specialized diagnostic testing, mental health services, emergency care and inpatient and
outpatient hospital services. Utilization review does not include elective requests for
the clarification of coverage.
13. "Utilization review agent" means a person or entity that performs utilization
review. For purposes of article 2 of this chapter, utilization review agent has the same
meaning prescribed in section 20-2530. For purposes of this chapter, utilization review
agent does not include:
(a) A governmental agency.
(b) An agent that acts on behalf of the governmental agency.
(c) An employee of a utilization review agent.
14. "Utilization review plan" means a summary description of the utilization review
guidelines, protocols, procedures and written standards and criteria of a utilization
review agent.
B. For the purposes of this chapter, utilization review by an optometric service
corporation applies only to nonsurgical medical and health care services.
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