Glossary

Healthcare services that help a person keep, learn or improve skills and functioning for daily living. Examples include therapy for a child who isn't walking or talking at the expected age. These services may include physical and occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and other services for people with disabilities in a variety of inpatient and/or outpatient settings.

A contract that requires your health insurer to pay some or all of your healthcare costs in exchange for a premium.

A form of health insurance in which its members prepay a premium for health services, which generally includes inpatient and ambulatory care. HMOs can be both insurers and providers of care.

A form when completed by the applicant that offers health history information and is used to determine the premium and establish coverage.

A type of health insurance plan that reimburses employees for qualified medical expenses. These accounts consist of funds set aside by employers to reimburse employees for qualified medical expenses, just as an insurance plan will reimburse covered individuals for the cost of services incurred. HRAs provide "first-dollar" medical coverage until funds are exhausted. For example, if an employee has a $500 qualifying medical expense, then the full amount will be covered by the health reimbursement arrangement if the funds are available in the account. Under a health reimbursement account, the employer provides funds, not the employee. All unused funds are rolled over at the end of the year. Former employees, including retirees, can have continued access to unused reimbursement amounts. Health reimbursement accounts remain with the originating employer and do not follow an employee to new employment.

An option for health insurance that has two parts. The first part is a qualifying high-deductible health plan. The second part of the Health Savings Account is an investment account or retirement account from which you can withdraw money tax-free for medical care. Otherwise, the money accumulates with tax-free interest until retirement, when you can withdraw for any purpose and pay normal income taxes.

Healthcare services a person receives at home.

Services to provide comfort and support for persons in the last stages of a terminal illness and their families.

Care in a hospital that usually doesn't require an overnight stay.

Care in a hospital that requires admission as an inpatient and usually requires an overnight stay. An overnight stay for observation could be outpatient care.