As used in the Oklahoma Individual Health Insurance Market Stabilization Act:

1. "Agent" means any person who is licensed to sell health insurance in this state;

2. "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Individual Health Insurance Market Stabilization Program;

3. "Health insurance" means any individual or group hospital or medical-expense-incurred policy or health care benefits plan or contract providing insurance against loss through illness or injury of the insured. The term does not include any policy governing short-term accidents only, a fixed indemnity policy, a limited benefit policy, a specified accident policy, a specified disease policy, a Medicare supplement policy, a long-term care policy, medical payment or personal injury coverage in a motor vehicle policy, coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance, a disability policy or workers' compensation;

4. "High-risk pool" means specially designated health insurance plans organized by federal or state entities, or a combination of federal and state entities, to serve high-risk, high-cost or both high-risk and high-cost individuals who meet enrollment criteria and do not have access to group insurance. They are organized as independent entities governed by their own boards and administrators and supported by the state's department of insurance;

5. "Insurer" means any individual, corporation, association, partnership, fraternal benefit society or any other entity engaged in the health insurance business, except insurance agents and brokers. This term shall also include not-for-profit hospital service and medical indemnity plans, health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, prepaid health plans, the State and Education Employees Group Health Insurance Plan, stop-loss insurance plans and any reinsurer reinsuring health insurance in this state, which shall be designated as engaged in the business of insurance for the purposes of the Oklahoma Individual Health Insurance Market Stabilization Act;

6. "Market" means the individual health insurance market in Oklahoma, wherein income-eligible individuals may receive federal financial assistance for the purchase of qualified health plans as provided by Section 36B of Title 26 of the United States Code and Section 1301 of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act;

7. "Market stabilization activities" means a high-risk pool, reinsurance, hybrid programs or any combination thereof authorized by this act;

8. "Plan" means any of the comprehensive health insurance benefit plans as approved by the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Individual Health Insurance Market Stabilization Program or qualified for participation in the market or by rule;

9. "Program" means the Oklahoma Individual Health Insurance Market Stabilization Program;

10. "Reinsurer" means any insurer from whom any insurer providing health insurance to Oklahomans procures insurance for itself with respect to all or part of the health insurance risk of the person; and

11. "Reinsurance" means the contract made between an entity providing insurance coverage and a third party to protect the insurer from losses. The contract provides for the third party to pay for the loss sustained by the insurer when the insurer makes a payment on the original contract. Reinsurance lets insurers cover a portion of their financial risks by recovering some or all of the claimed amounts they pay.

Added by Laws 2017, c. 383, § 2, emerg. eff. June 6, 2017.