Claim- a request that covered benefits of a health insurance issuer be provided or paid for services that have been provided. The benefits claimed may be in the form of covered services, supplies, payment for all or a portion, of expenses incurred a combination of covered services, supplies and expenses incurred, or indemnification for all or a portion of actual losses.
Claimant- covered person, an authorized representative, or other entity filing a clean claim that is entitled to receive reimbursement from a health insurance issuer for covered benefits.
Clean Claim- a correctly completed standardized claim form as required under the Department of Insurance, Regulation 48.
Commissioner- the Commissioner of Insurance.
Contracted Medical Services- services provided by a state licensed, certified, or state registered provider of health care services, treatment, or supplies, including but not limited to those entities defined in R.S. 40:2203.1 that have entered into a contract or agreement with a health insurance issuer to provide such services, treatment or supplies to an individual enrollee or insured.
Covered Benefits- benefits available to a member, subscriber or insured under an insurance policy, benefit plan, or other contract for coverage of health care benefits. The term also includes any medical services or equipment that is provided to a covered person under an assignment of benefits, when such assignment is authorized by law and the terms of an insurance policy or contract of coverage issued by a health insurance issuer.
Covered Person- an insured, enrollee, member, or subscriber. In the case of a minor, the term includes an insured or legal guardian authorized to act in the best interest of such minor and therefore is acting on behalf of such covered person.
Date Upon Which a Clean Claim is Received- the date the uniform claim form is received by the health insurance issuer or its legal agent. For health insurance issuer examinations, the department will use the postmark date of claims to determine if the date of receipt reasonably reflects the date claims are actually received by health insurance issuers.
Department- the Department of Insurance.
Electronic Claim- the transmission of data for purposes of payment of covered medical services in an electronic data format specified by a health insurance issuer and approved by the department.
Health Insurance Coverage- 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, preferred provider organization agreement, or health maintenance organization contract offered by a health insurance issuer that is subject to the requirements of Part VI-C of Chapter 1 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.
Health Insurance Issuer- an insurance company, including a health maintenance organization, as defined and licensed pursuant to Part XII of Chapter 2 of Title 22, unless preempted as an employee benefit plan covered by the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The term shall also include the State Employees Group Benefits Program as required under R.S. 22:230.4(A)(4) and preferred provider organizations as required under R.S. 40:2203.
Just and Reasonable GroundsSuch as Would Put a Reasonable and Prudent Businessman on His Guard- an articulable set of facts, as opposed to mere speculation or assumption, that fully complies with established jurisprudence. For health insurance issuer examinations, the department will reasonably determine whether denials are based on an articulable set of facts.
Non-Contracted Medical Services- services provided by a state-licensed, certified, or state-registered provider of health care services, treatment, or supplies, including but not limited to those entities defined in R.S. 40:1299.41(A)(1) that have no contract or agreement with a health insurance issuer to provide such services, treatment or supplies to an individual enrollee or insured.
Paid- the date the claim is adjudicated and any amount due and payable is released by the health insurance issuer. Any difference between the date of adjudication and the date the payment is released is required to be documented in the health insurance issuer's claim handling procedures filed with the department.
Prohibited Billing Activities- the demand for payment of medical services from a covered person for covered benefits that are payable under the terms of a provider agreement with a health insurance issuer that is in effect.
Uniform Claim- a standardized claim form as required under the Department of Insurance, Regulation 48.
La. Admin. Code tit. 37, § XIII-6005