[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 42, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 42CFR417.150]

[Page 701-703]
 
                         TITLE 42--PUBLIC HEALTH
 
                             HUMAN SERVICES
 
PART 417--HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS, COMPETITIVE MEDICAL PLANS, AND HEALTH CARE PREPAYMENT PLANS--Table of Contents
 
 Subpart E--Inclusion of Qualified Health Maintenance Organizations in 
                     Employee Health Benefits Plans
 
Sec. 417.150  Definitions.

    Source: 45 FR 72517, Oct. 31, 1980, unless otherwise noted. 
Redesignated at 52 FR 36746, Sept. 30, 1987.


    As used in this subpart, unless the context indicates otherwise--
    Agreement means a collective bargaining agreement.
    Bargaining representative means an individual or entity designated 
or selected, under any applicable Federal, State, or local law, or 
public entity collective bargaining agreement, to

[[Page 702]]

represent employees in collective bargaining, or any other employee 
representative designated or selected under any law.
    Carrier means a voluntary association, corporation, partnership, or 
other organization that is engaged in providing, paying for, or 
reimbursing all or part of the cost of health benefits under group 
insurance policies or contracts, medical or hospital service agreements, 
enrollment or subscription contracts, or similar group arrangements, in 
consideration of premiums or other periodic charges payable to the 
carrier.
    Collective bargaining agreement means an agreement entered into 
between an employing entity and the bargaining representative of its 
employees.
    Contract means an employer-employee or public entity-employee 
contract, or a contract for health benefits.
    Designee means any person or entity authorized to act on behalf of 
an employing entity or a group of employing entities to offer the option 
of enrollment in a qualified health maintenance organization to their 
eligible employees.
    Eligible employee means an employee who meets the employer's 
requirements for participation in the health benefits plan.
    Employee means any individual employed by an employer or public 
entity on a full-time or part-time basis.
    Employer has the meaning given that term in section 3(d) of the Fair 
Labor Standards Act of 1938, except that it--
    (1) Includes non-appropriated fund instrumentalities of the United 
States Government; and
    (2) Excludes the following:
    (i) The governments of the United States, the District of Columbia 
and the territories and possessions of the United States, the 50 States 
and their political subdivisions, and any agencies or instrumentalities 
of any of the foregoing, including the United States Postal Service and 
Postal Rate Commission.
    (ii) Any church, or convention or association of churches, and any 
organization operated, supervised, or controlled by a church, or 
convention or association of churches that meets the following 
conditions:
    (A) Is an organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
    (B) Does not discriminate, in the employment, compensation, 
promotion or termination of employment of any personnel, or in the 
granting of staff and other privileges to physicians or other health 
personnel, on the grounds that the individuals obtain health care 
through HMOs, or participate in furnishing health care through HMOs.
    Employing entity means an employer or public entity.
    Employing entity-employee contract means a legally enforceable 
agreement (other than a collective bargaining agreement) between an 
employing entity and its employees for the provision of, or payment for, 
health benefits for its employees, or for its employees and their 
eligible dependents.
    Group enrollment period means the period of at least 10 working days 
each calendar year during which each eligible employee is given the 
opportunity to select among the alternatives included in a health 
benefits plan.
    Health benefits means health benefits and services.
    Health benefits contract means a contract or other agreement between 
an employing entity or a designee and a carrier for the provision of, or 
payment for, health benefits to eligible employees or to eligible 
employees and their eligible dependents.
    Health benefits plan means any arrangement, to provide or pay for 
health services, that is offered to eligible employees, or to eligible 
employees and their eligible dependents, by or on behalf of an employing 
entity.
    Public entity means the 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin 
Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa and their 
political subdivisions, the District of Columbia, and any agency or 
instrumentality of the foregoing, and political subdivisions include 
counties, parishes, townships, cities, municipalities, towns, villages, 
and incorporated villages.
    Qualified HMO means an HMO that has in effect a determination, made 
under subpart D of this part, that the HMO is an operational, 
preoperational, or transitional qualified HMO.

[[Page 703]]

    To offer a health benefits plan means to make participation in a 
health benefits plan available to eligible employees, or to eligible 
employees and their eligible dependents regardless of whether the 
employing entity makes a financial contribution to the plan on behalf of 
these employees, directly or indirectly, for example, through payments 
on any basis into a health and welfare trust fund.

[45 FR 72517, Oct. 31, 1980, as amended at 47 FR 19341, May 5, 1982. 
Redesignated at 52 FR 36746, Sept. 30, 1987, as amended at 58 FR 38077, 
July 15, 1993; 59 FR 49837, 49843, Sept. 30, 1994]