As used in the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange Act:

A. "agent" means a person appointed by a health insurance issuer authorized to transact business in this state to act as its representative in any given locality;

B. "board" means the board of directors of the exchange;

C. "broker" means a person licensed as a broker pursuant to the New Mexico Insurance Code;

D. "exchange" means the New Mexico health insurance exchange, composed of an exchange for the individual market and a small business health options program or "SHOP" exchange under a single governance and administrative structure;

E. "health insurance issuer" means an insurance company, insurance service or insurance organization, including a health maintenance organization, that is licensed to engage in the business of insurance in the state;

F. "Native American" means:

(1) an individual who is a member of any federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or pueblo or who is an Alaska native; or

(2) an individual who has been deemed eligible for services and programs provided to Native Americans by the United States public health service or the bureau of Indian affairs;

G. "navigator" means a person that, in a manner culturally and linguistically appropriate to the state's diverse populations, conducts public education, distributes tax credit and qualified health plan enrollment information, facilitates enrollment in qualified health plans or provides referrals to consumer assistance or ombudsman services. "Navigator" does not mean a health insurance issuer or a person that receives any consideration, directly or indirectly, from any health insurance issuer in connection with the enrollment of a qualified individual in a qualified health plan; provided that a broker or an agent may be a navigator if the broker or the agent receives no consideration, directly or indirectly, from any health insurance issuer in connection with the enrollment of a qualified individual or qualified employer in a qualified health plan, an approved health plan or any other health coverage; and

H. "superintendent" means the superintendent of insurance.

History: Laws 2013, ch. 54, § 2.

Emergency clauses. — Laws 2013, ch. 54, § 17 contained an emergency clause and was approved March 28, 2013.

Severability. — Laws 2013, ch. 54, § 16 provided that if any part or application of Laws 2013, ch. 54, §§ 1 through 15 are held invalid, the remainder or its application to other situations or persons shall not be affected.