9-3-203. Definitions.

(a) As used in this act:

(i) Repealed By Laws 2001, Ch. 55, § 3.

(ii) "Carrier" means a private insurance company or health maintenance organization, as defined in W.S. 26-34-102(a)(xvi), holding a valid outstanding certificate of authority from the state insurance commissioner, or a nonprofit hospital service plan or a nonprofit medical service plan incorporated as a nonprofit corporation, either of which has had successful experience in the group health insurance field as determined by the commissioner of insurance;

(iii) "Dependent" means an employee's spouse, each unmarried child under the age of eighteen (18), including adopted children, stepchildren and foster children, and each unmarried child between the age of eighteen (18) and twenty-three (23) years who is a full-time student in an accredited educational or vocational institution, and for whom the employee is the major source of financial support. "Dependent" includes an otherwise qualified dependent of a deceased employee as provided in W.S. 9-3-209(d);

(iv) "Employee" means any employee of a participating school district or participating board of cooperative educational services whose salary is paid by funds of the district or board, or any official or employee of the state of Wyoming whose salary is paid by state funds, including employees and faculty members of the University of Wyoming and various community colleges in the state, except persons employed on intermittent, irregular, or less than halftime basis and any at-will contract employee who does not meet the requirements established under W.S. 9-2-1022(a)(xi)(F)(III) or (IV). "Employee" shall not include employees of the agricultural extension service of the University of Wyoming who hold federal civil service appointments, are required to participate in federal civil service retirement and who elect to participate in the federal employees' health benefit program as authorized in W.S. 9-3-210(d);

(v) "Group insurance plan" means the health and life insurance plans defined in this section, the flexible benefits plan or any other group insurance coverages contracted for by the department, including disability insurance, as defined in W.S. 26-5-103(a);

(vi) "Health insurance plan" means a group insurance policy or contract or a medical or hospital service agreement or other health care delivery system provided by a carrier or carriers for the purpose of paying for or reimbursing the cost of hospital and medical care;

(vii) "Hospital and medical benefits" means hospital room and board, other hospital services, certain outpatient benefits, maternity benefits, surgical benefits, including obstetrical care, in-hospital medical care, diagnostic X-ray and laboratory benefits, physician's services provided by house and office calls, prescription drugs, outpatient psychiatric services and other benefits determined by the department. Benefits may be provided on a coinsurance basis, the insured to pay a proportion of the cost of benefits;

(viii) "Life insurance plan" means a group insurance policy or contract provided by a carrier for the purpose of providing life insurance;

(ix) "Official" means any elected or appointed state official who receives compensation other than expense reimbursement from state funds, except for members of the legislature and officials serving on an intermittent, irregular or less than halftime basis;

(x) "Supplemental health insurance plan" or "supplemental plan" means a group insurance contract or a medical or hospital service agreement provided by a carrier for the purpose of paying for or reimbursing the cost of hospital and medical care in excess of or supplemental to medicare or medicaid, or both, which employees or officials and their dependents may be eligible to receive. Supplemental coverage may consist of one (1), a combination of, or alternative plans in the discretion of the department;

(xi) "Department" means the department of administration and information;

(xii) "Flexible benefits plan" means a plan of benefits established by department rules and regulations and adopted pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Title 26 of the United States code and qualified under § 125 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The plan may include benefits authorized by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and related federal regulations which are consistent with Wyoming law;

(xiii) "Retiree" means an individual who has terminated his working career as an employee of an employing entity participating in the group insurance plan and who is eligible to receive a retirement benefit under the Wyoming retirement system;

(xiv) "Participating board of cooperative educational services" means any board of educational services formed pursuant to W.S. 21-20-104 which has elected to participate in the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan under W.S. 9-3-201(e) and which has not discontinued plan participation pursuant to an election under W.S. 9-3-201(f);

(xv) "Participating school district" means any school district which has elected to participate in the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan under W.S. 9-3-201(e) and which has not discontinued plan participation pursuant to an election under W.S. 9-3-201(f);

(xvi) "Voluntary participating employer" includes a participating board of cooperative educational services and participating school district;

(xvii) "This act" means W.S. 9-3-202 through 9-3-218.

"This act" means W.S. 9-3-202 through 9-3-219.