As used in this chapter: (a) âAncillary benefit planâ means a policy or contract written or administered by a participating carrier that covers dental or vision benefits for the covered eligible employees of an employer or small employer and their dependents. (b) âAppropriate Regulatory Authorityâ means the Department of Insurance except for health care service plans, in which case it means the Department of Managed Health Care. (c) âBenefit plan designâ means a specific health coverage product issued by a carrier to employers or small employers, to trustees of associations, or to individuals if the coverage is offered through employment or sponsored by an employer or small employer. It includes the services covered and the levels of copayment and deductibles. (d) âBoardâ means the governing body of the purchasing alliance. This term shall include the board of directors of a nonprofit corporation or trust, a for-profit corporation, the general partners of a partnership, or a sole proprietor. (e) âCarrierâ means any licensed disability insurance company or licensed health care service plan or any other entity that writes, issues, or administers any health benefit plan or ancillary benefit plan to employers or small employers in this state. (f) âCommissionerâ means the Insurance Commissioner, who shall have regulatory jurisdiction over purchasing alliances. (g) âDependentâ has the same meaning as in the subdivision (a) of Section 1357 of the Health and Safety Code and in subdivision (e) of Section 10700 of this code. (h) âEligible employeeâ means any permanent employee who is actively engaged on a full-time basis in the conduct of business of the employer or small employer and, who has satisfied any employer or small employer waiting period requirements. The term includes sole proprietors or partners of a partnership if they are actively engaged on a full-time basis in the employerâs or small employerâs business, but does not include employees who work on a part-time, temporary, or substitute basis. (i) âEmployerâ means any corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, or other business entity doing business in this state that may be eligible to participate in a purchasing alliance. The term âemployerâ shall not include âsmall employerâ as defined in subdivision (s). (j) âEnrolleeâ means an eligible employee or a dependent of an eligible employee who is enrolled in a health benefit plan or ancillary benefit plan offered through the purchasing alliance by a participating carrier. (k) âHealth benefit planâ means a policy or contract written or administered by a participating carrier that arranges or provides health care benefits for the covered eligible employees of an employer or small employer and their dependents. The term does not include accident only, credit, dental, vision, disability income, or long-term care insurance, coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance, automobile medical payments insurance, or insurance under which benefits are payable with or without regard to fault and is statutorily required to be continued in any liability insurance policy or equivalent self-insurance. ( l ) âManagement companyâ means the company under contract to the purchasing alliance to provide managerial services for the operation of the purchasing alliance. (m) âParticipating carrierâ means a carrier that contracts with a purchasing alliance to provide coverage to enrollees under a health benefit plan or ancillary benefit plan. (n) âParticipating employerâ means an employer or small employer who contracts with a purchasing alliance to provide coverage to the employerâs or small employerâs employees. (o) âPurchasing allianceâ means a non-risk-bearing entity issued a certificate of registration pursuant to this chapter to provide health benefits through multiple unaffiliated participating carriers to multiple participating employers, small employers
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