Maine Code § 24-A-2848

Definitions
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As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the
following meanings. [PL 1993, c. 349, §52 (RPR).]
1. Evidence of individual insurability. "Evidence of individual insurability" means medical
information or other information that indicates health status, such as whether the individual is actively
at work, used to determine whether coverage of an individual within the group is to be limited or
excluded.
[PL 1993, c. 349, §52 (RPR).]
1-A. COBRA continuation provision. "COBRA continuation provision" means any of the
following:
A. Section 4980B of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, other than Subsection (f)(1) as it relates
to pediatric vaccines; [PL 1997, c. 445, §20 (NEW); PL 1997, c. 445, §32 (AFF).]
B. Part 6 of Subtitle B of Title I of the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
29 United States Code, Section 1161, other than Section 609; or [PL 1997, c. 445, §20 (NEW);
PL 1997, c. 445, §32 (AFF).]
C. Title XXII of the federal Public Health Service Act, 42 United States Code, Section 201. [PL
1997, c. 445, §20 (NEW); PL 1997, c. 445, §32 (AFF).]
[PL 1997, c. 445, §20 (NEW); PL 1997, c. 445, §32 (AFF).]
1-B. Federally creditable coverage. "Federally creditable coverage" is defined as follows.
A. "Federally creditable coverage" means health benefits or coverage provided under any of the
following:

(1) An employee welfare benefit plan as defined in Section 3(1) of the federal Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, 29 United States Code, Section 1001, or a plan that
would be an employee welfare benefit plan but for the "governmental plan" or "nonelecting
church plan" exceptions, if the plan provides medical care as defined in subsection 2-A, and
includes items and services paid for as medical care directly or through insurance,
reimbursement or otherwise;
(2) Benefits consisting of medical care provided directly, through insurance or reimbursement
and including items and services paid for as medical care under a policy, contract or certificate
offered by a carrier;
(3) Part A or Part B of Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, Medicare;
(4) Title XIX of the Social Security Act, Medicaid, other than coverage consisting solely of
benefits under Section 1928 of the Social Security Act;
(4-A) A state children's health insurance program under Title XXI of the Social Security Act;
(5) The Civilian Health and Medical Program for the Uniformed Services, CHAMPUS, 10
United States Code, Chapter 55;
(6) A medical care program of the federal Indian Health Care Improvement Act, 25 United
States Code, Section 1601 et seq. or of a tribal organization;
(7) A state health benefits risk pool;
(8) A health plan offered under the federal Employees Health Benefits Amendments Act, 5
United States Code, Chapter 89;
(9) A public health plan as defined in federal regulations authorized by the federal Public
Health Service Act, Section 2701(c)(1)(I), as amended by Public Law 104-191; or
(10) A health benefit plan under Section 5(e) of the Peace Corps Act, 22 United States Code,
Section 2504(e). [PL 2013, c. 588, Pt. A, §27 (AMD).]
B. "Federally creditable coverage" does not include coverage consisting solely of one or more of
the following:
(1) Coverage for accident or disability income insurance or any combination of those
coverages;
(2) Liability insurance, including general liability insurance and automobile liability insurance;
(3) Coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance;
(4) Workers' compensation or similar insurance;
(5) Automobile medical payment insurance;
(6) Credit insurance;
(7) Coverage for on-site medical clinics; or
(8) Other similar insurance coverage, specified in federal regulations issued pursuant to Public
Law 104-191, under which benefits for medical care are secondary or incidental to other
insurance benefits. [PL 1999, c. 256, Pt. L, §2 (AMD).]
C. "Federally creditable coverage" does not include the following benefits if those benefits are
provided under a separate policy, certificate or contract of insurance or are otherwise not an integral
part of the plan:
(1) Limited scope dental or vision benefits;

(2) Benefits for long-term care, nursing home care, home health care, community-based care
or any combination of those benefits; and
(3) Other similar, limited benefits as specified in federal regulations issued pursuant to Public
Law 104-191. [PL 1999, c. 256, Pt. L, §2 (AMD).]
D. "Federally creditable coverage" does not include the following benefits if the benefits are
provided under a separate policy, certificate or contract of insurance, and if no coordination exists
between the provision of the benefits and any exclusion of benefits under a group health plan
maintained by the same plan sponsor and those benefits are paid for an event without regard to
whether benefits are provided for that event under a group health plan maintained by the same plan
sponsor:
(1) Coverage only for a specified disease or illness; and
(2) Hospital indemnity or other fixed indemnity insurance. [PL 1999, c. 256, Pt. L, §2
(AMD).]
E. "Federally creditable coverage" does not include the following if it is offered as a separate
policy, certificate or contract of insurance:
(1) Medicare supplemental health insurance under the Social Security Act, Section 1882(g)(1);
(2) Coverage supplemental to the coverage provided under the Civilian Health and Medical
Program of the Uniformed Services, CHAMPUS, 10 United States Code, Chapter 55; and
(3) Similar supplemental coverage under a group health plan. [PL 1999, c. 256, Pt. L, §2
(AMD).]
For purposes of this subsection, a "period of continuing federally creditable coverage" means a period
in which an individual has maintained federally creditable coverage through one or more plans or
programs, with no break in coverage exceeding 63 days. In calculating the aggregate length of a period
of continuing federally creditable coverage that includes one or more breaks in coverage, only the time
actually covered is counted. A waiting period is not counted as a break in coverage, but is not counted
as a period of actual coverage unless the individual has other federally creditable coverage during this
period. For purposes of this subsection and subsection 1-C, "group health plan" has the same meaning
as specified in the federal Public Health Service Act, Title XXVII, Section 2791(a).
[PL 2013, c. 588, Pt. A, §27 (AMD).]
1-C. Federally eligible individual. "Federally eligible individual" means an individual:
A. Who has had a period of continuing federally creditable coverage, as defined in subsection 1-B,
ending not more than 63 days before applying for an individual health plan, with an aggregate
length of federally creditable coverage, as defined in subsection 1-B, of at least 18 months; [PL
1999, c. 256, Pt. L, §3 (AMD).]
B. Whose most recent prior federally creditable coverage was under a group health plan,
governmental plan, church plan or health insurance coverage offered in connection with any such
plan; [PL 1999, c. 256, Pt. L, §3 (AMD).]
C. Who is not eligible for coverage under a group health plan, Part A or Part B of Title XVIII of
the Social Security Act, Medicare, or a state plan under Title XIX, Medicaid or any successor
program and who does not have other health insurance coverage; [PL 1997, c. 445, §20 (NEW);
PL 1997, c. 445, §32 (AFF).]
D. Whose most recent federally creditable coverage was not terminated based on nonpayment of
premiums, fraud or intentional misrepresentation of material fact; and [PL 1999, c. 256, Pt. L,
§3 (AMD).]

E. Who, if offered the option of continuation of coverage under a COBRA continuation provision,
as defined by subsection 1-A, or under a similar state program, elected continuation of coverage
and has exhausted that coverage. For purposes of this paragraph, an individual is considered to
have exhausted COBRA continuation coverage when the individual no longer resides, lives or
works in a service area of a managed care plan and there is no other COBRA continuation coverage
available to the individual. [PL 2001, c. 258, Pt. D, §2 (AMD).]
[PL 2001, c. 258, Pt. D, §2 (AMD).]
1-D. Governmental plan. "Governmental plan" has the meaning given under Section 3(32) of
the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or any federal governmental employee
plan.
[PL 1997, c. 445, §20 (NEW); PL 1997, c. 445, §32 (AFF).]
2. Group. "Group" means any of the types of groups under sections 2804 to 2808.
[PL 1993, c. 349, §52 (RPR).]
2-A. Medical care. Medical care includes the amounts paid for:
A. The diagnosis, care, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease, or the amounts paid for the
purpose of affecting a structure or function of the body; [PL 1997, c. 445, §21 (NEW); PL 1997,
c. 445, §32 (AFF).]
B. Transportation primarily for, and essential to, medical care under paragraph A; and [PL 1997,
c. 445, §21 (NEW); PL 1997, c. 445, §32 (AFF).]
C. Insurance coverage for medical care under paragraphs A and B. [PL 1997, c. 445, §21
(NEW); PL 1997, c. 445, §32 (AFF).]
[PL 1997, c. 445, §21 (NEW); PL 1997, c. 445, §32 (AFF).]
3. Preexisting condition exclusion.
[PL 1997, c. 445, §22 (RP); PL 1997, c. 445, §32 (AFF).]
4. Subgroup. "Subgroup" means an employer covered under a contract issued to a multiple
employer trust or to an association.
[PL 1993, c. 349, §52 (RPR).]
5. Waiting period. "Waiting period" means a period of time after the date of enrollment during
which a health insurance plan excludes coverage for the diagnosis or treatment of any or all medical
conditions.
[PL 1999, c. 256, Pt. L, §4 (AMD).]

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