Administrator: means : (A) An individual, either employed by, or contracted with, the sponsor or the plan to provide administrative services on behalf of the plan. See Tennessee Code 8-27-901
Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
Insured: means any individual, other than the primary insured, who receives benefits under the plan. See Tennessee Code 8-27-901
Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
Plain language: means writing designed to ensure the reader understands the meaning of the passage as quickly, easily, and completely as possible, avoiding verbose, convoluted language, and jargon. See Tennessee Code 8-27-901
plan: includes those to which the primary insured pays to the plan a nominal fee for the primary insured and any insureds whose relationship to the primary insured allows them to receive benefits under the plan. See Tennessee Code 8-27-901
Plan document: means a document by which a plan is established and operated. See Tennessee Code 8-27-901
Primary insured: means the individual employed by, or contracted with, the sponsor and to whom, based on the individual's status as an employee or contractor, the plan provides benefits. See Tennessee Code 8-27-901
Reimbursement interest: means the plan's right of recovery of benefit amounts paid by the plan on behalf of the plan participant from the participant's recovery from a third-party tortfeasor arising from the injury or illness of the plan participant caused by such tortfeasor. See Tennessee Code 8-27-901
Service: means service as a general employee, a teacher, a state police officer, a wildlife officer, a firefighter, a police officer, a state judge, a county judge, an attorney general, a commissioner or a county official which is paid for by an employer, and also includes service for which a former member of the general assembly is entitled to under former §. See Tennessee Code 8-34-101
SPD: means a summary of the plan document, which may or may not be part of the plan document. See Tennessee Code 8-27-901
Sponsor: means a county, municipality, municipal corporation, or special school district in this state that establishes and funds a plan. See Tennessee Code 8-27-901
Third-party insurer: means an insurer that provides insurance coverage to a third-party tortfeasor, regardless of whether the coverage is personal or commercial, including, but not limited to, automobile, income replacement, premises liability, home owners, umbrella, group life, health, workers compensation, hospitalization, and disability. See Tennessee Code 8-27-901
Third-party tortfeasor: means an individual or entity who commits a tort against a plan participant that causes a plan participant to require medical treatment for which the plan makes payments to a provider of medical services for the benefit, or on behalf, of the plan participant. See Tennessee Code 8-27-901
Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
(A) An individual, either employed by, or contracted with, the sponsor or the plan to provide administrative services on behalf of the plan; or(B) An entity with whom the sponsor contracts to provide administrative services on behalf of the plan;(2) “Days” means calendar days, unless otherwise noted;(3) “Insured” means any individual, other than the primary insured, who receives benefits under the plan;(4) “Plain language” means writing designed to ensure the reader understands the meaning of the passage as quickly, easily, and completely as possible, avoiding verbose, convoluted language, and jargon;(5) “Plan” means a self-funded plan of insurance established and funded by a sponsor pursuant to this part for the purpose of providing group life, hospitalization, disability, on-the-job injury or work-related injury program, or medical insurance, where funding for the plan is primarily derived from local tax revenues, which are used to fund, in excess of fifty-one percent (51%), the total costs of the plan, and where the benefits are paid directly through the sponsor’s general assets or through a trust fund established for that purpose. A “plan” includes those to which the primary insured pays to the plan a nominal fee for the primary insured and any insureds whose relationship to the primary insured allows them to receive benefits under the plan. Whether or not the plan contracts with an administrator is not a factor in determining whether the plan meets this definition;(6) “Plan document” means a document by which a plan is established and operated;(7) “Plan participant” means either a primary insured or insured;(8) “Primary insured” means the individual employed by, or contracted with, the sponsor and to whom, based on the individual’s status as an employee or contractor, the plan provides benefits;(9) “Reimbursement interest” means the plan’s right of recovery of benefit amounts paid by the plan on behalf of the plan participant from the participant’s recovery from a third-party tortfeasor arising from the injury or illness of the plan participant caused by such tortfeasor. “Reimbursement interest” does not include pre- or post-judgment interest;(10) “Request for subrogation or reimbursement interest” or “RSRI” means a form drafted by the plan in plain language and included in the SPD that the plan participant, their attorney, or other party in interest, may use to request that the plan provides notice of its subrogation or reimbursement interest;(11) “Settlement” means an agreement reached between a plan participant and the plan, or between the plan participant and a third-party tortfeasor or the third-party insurer, or both;(12) “Sponsor” means a county, municipality, municipal corporation, or special school district in this state that establishes and funds a plan;(13) “Subrogation interest” means the right to recovery that the plan has in any litigation or settlement arising from the injury or illness of a plan participant caused by a third-party tortfeasor. “Subrogation interest” does not include pre- or post-judgment interest;(14) “Summary of material modification” or “SMM” means a summary of any material amendment to the plan adopted by the sponsor, including, but not limited to, changes in deductibles, co-pays, and eligibility requirements; covered services or benefits; formulas; methodologies; schedules; networks; prior authorization requirements; and drug tiers;(15) “Summary plan description” or “SPD” means a summary of the plan document, which may or may not be part of the plan document;(16) “Third-party administrator” or “TPA” means an organization with which the plan contracts to process claims or manage certain other aspects of the plan, including, but not limited to, customer service, plan design, benefits notification, subrogation services, general plan administration, and appeals review;(17) “Third-party for medical services” or “third party” means a person or entity that contracts with either the plan or the third-party administrator to provide payment for claims of healthcare items or services for plan participants. The term includes, but is not limited to, a health and liability insurer, an administrator of an ERISA plan, an employee welfare benefit plan, a workers’ compensation plan, CHAMPUS, Medicare, and other parties that are by statute, contract, or agreement legally responsible for payment of a claim for a healthcare item or service;(18) “Third-party insurer” means an insurer that provides insurance coverage to a third-party tortfeasor, regardless of whether the coverage is personal or commercial, including, but not limited to, automobile, income replacement, premises liability, home owners, umbrella, group life, health, workers compensation, hospitalization, and disability; and(19) “Third-party tortfeasor” means an individual or entity who commits a tort against a plan participant that causes a plan participant to require medical treatment for which the plan makes payments to a provider of medical services for the benefit, or on behalf, of the plan participant.
