As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:

“American Health Benefit Exchange” means the program established as a component of the Exchange pursuant to this chapter that is designed to facilitate the purchase of qualified health plans or qualified dental plans by qualified individuals.

“Bureau” means the Bureau of Insurance, a division within the Commission through which it administers insurance law.

“Certified application counselor” means individuals certified by the Exchange to perform the duties described in 45 C.F.R. § 155.255(c).

“Commission” means the State Corporation Commission.

“Committee” means the Advisory Committee established pursuant to § 38.2-6503.

“Director” means the Director of the Division appointed by the Commission pursuant to § 38.2-6502.

“Division” means the Health Benefit Exchange Division, a division within the Commission through which it administers the Exchange.

“Eligible employee” means an individual employed by a qualified employer who has been offered health insurance coverage by such qualified employer through the SHOP exchange.

“Eligible entity” means the Bureau, the Department of Medical Assistance Services, or a qualified vendor that has demonstrated experience on a statewide or regional basis in individual and small group health insurance markets and in benefits coverage; however, a health carrier or an affiliate of a health carrier is not an eligible entity.

“Essential health benefits package” means the scope of covered benefits and associated limits of a health benefit plan that (i) provides benefits pursuant to § 38.2-3451; (ii) provides the benefits in the manner described in 45 C.F.R. § 156.115; (iii) limits cost-sharing for such coverage as described in 45 C.F.R. § 156.130; and (iv) subject to offering catastrophic plans as described in § 1302(e) of the Federal Act, provides distinct levels of coverage as described in 45 C.F.R. § 156.140.

“Exchange” means, as the context requires, either (i) the Division or (ii) the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange established pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and in accordance with § 1311(b) of the Federal Act, through which qualified health plans and qualified dental plans are made available to qualified individuals through the American Health Benefit Exchange and to qualified employers through the SHOP exchange. “Exchange,” when referring to the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange, collectively refers to both the American Health Benefit Exchange and the SHOP exchange.

“FAMIS” means the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan, including the FAMIS Plus program, established pursuant to Chapter 13 of Title 32.1.

“Federal Act” means the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, P.L. 111-148, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, P.L. 111-152, and as it may further be amended, and regulations issued thereunder.

“Health benefit plan” or “plan” means a policy, contract, certificate, or agreement offered or issued by a health carrier to provide, deliver, arrange for, pay for, or reimburse any of the costs of health care services. The term does not include coverage only for accident or disability income insurance, or any combination thereof; coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance; liability insurance, including general liability insurance and automobile liability insurance; workers’ compensation or similar insurance; automobile medical payment insurance; credit-only insurance; coverage for onsite medical clinics; or other similar insurance coverage, specified in federal regulations issued pursuant to the Federal Act, under which benefits for medical care are secondary or incidental to other insurance benefits. The term does not include the following benefits if they are provided under a separate policy, certificate, or contract of insurance or are otherwise not an integral part of the plan: limited scope dental or vision benefits; benefits for long-term care, nursing home care, home health care, community-based care, or any combination thereof; or other similar limited benefits specified in federal regulations issued pursuant to the Federal Act. The term does not include the following benefits if the benefits are provided under a separate policy, certificate, or contract of insurance; there is no coordination between the provision of the benefits and any exclusion of benefits under any group health plan maintained by the same plan sponsor; and the benefits are paid with respect to an event without regard to whether benefits are provided with respect to such an event under any group health plan maintained by the same plan sponsor: coverage only for a specified disease or illness, for hospital indemnity, or other fixed indemnity insurance. The term does not include the following if offered as a separate policy, certificate, or contract of insurance: Medicare supplemental health insurance as defined under § 1882(g)(1) of the U.S. Social Security Act; coverage supplemental to the coverage provided under 10 U.S.C. § 1071 et seq. (TRICARE); or similar supplemental coverage provided under a group health plan.

“Health carrier” or “carrier” means an entity subject to the insurance laws and regulations of the Commonwealth and subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission that contracts or offers to contract to provide, deliver, arrange for, pay for, or reimburse any of the costs of health care services, including an insurer licensed to sell accident and sickness insurance, a health maintenance organization, a health services plan, a dental plan organization, a dental services plan, or any other entity providing a plan of health insurance, health benefits, or health care services.

“Insurance agent” has the same meaning as provided in § 38.2-1800.

“Minimum essential coverage” means coverage defined in 45 C.F.R. § 156.600.

“Navigator” means an individual or entity that is registered pursuant to § 38.2-3457.

“PHSA” means the federal Public Health Service Act, Chapter 6A of Title 42 of the United States Code, as amended.

“Qualified dental plan” means a limited scope dental plan that has been certified in accordance with § 38.2-6506.

“Qualified employer” means a small employer that elects to make all of its full-time employees eligible for one or more qualified health plans or qualified dental plans in the small group market offered through the SHOP exchange and, at the employer’s option, some or all of its part-time employees, provided that the employer (i) has its principal place of business in the Commonwealth and elects to provide coverage through the SHOP exchange to all of its eligible employees, wherever employed, or (ii) elects to provide coverage through the SHOP exchange to all of its eligible employees who are principally employed in the Commonwealth.

“Qualified health plan” means a health benefit plan that has in effect a certification that the plan meets the criteria for certification described in § 1311(c) of the Federal Act and § 38.2-6506.

“Qualified individual” means an individual, including a minor, who (i) is seeking to enroll in a qualified health plan or qualified dental plan offered to individuals through the Exchange; (ii) resides in the Commonwealth; (iii) is not incarcerated at the time of enrollment, other than incarceration pending the disposition of charges; and (iv) is, and is reasonably expected to be, for the entire period for which enrollment is sought, a citizen or a national of the United States or an alien lawfully present in the United States.

“Secretary” means the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“SHOP exchange” means the Small Business Health Options Program, established as a component of the Exchange pursuant to this chapter, through which a qualified employer can provide its eligible employees and their dependents with access to one or more qualified health plans or qualified dental plans.

“Small employer” means an employer that employed an average of not more than 50 employees during the preceding calendar year. For the purposes of this definition: (a) all persons treated as a single employer under subsection (b), (c), (m), or (o) of 26 U.S.C. § 414 shall be treated as a single employer; (b) an employer and any predecessor employer shall be treated as a single employer; and (c) all employees shall be counted, including part-time employees and employees who are not eligible for health insurance coverage through the employer. If an employer was not in existence throughout the preceding calendar year, the determination of whether the employer is a small employer shall be based on the average number of employees reasonably expected to be employed by the employer on business days in the current calendar year. An employer that makes enrollment in qualified health plans or qualified dental plans available to its eligible employees through the SHOP exchange and that no longer meets the definition of a small employer because of an increase in the number of its employees shall continue to be treated as a small employer for purposes of this chapter as long as that employer continuously makes enrollment through the SHOP exchange available to its eligible employees.

“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.

“State-mandated health benefit” means coverage required under this title or other laws of the Commonwealth to be provided in a policy of accident and sickness insurance, an accident and sickness subscription contract, or a health maintenance organization health care plan that includes coverage for specific health care services or benefits.

“State Medicaid Program” means the Commonwealth’s Medicaid program under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, as amended from time to time.

2020, cc. 916, 917.