As used in this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this section:
"Applicant." The term includes the following:
"Benefit trigger." A contractual provision in the insured's policy of long-term care insurance conditioning the payment of benefits on a determination of the insured's ability to perform activities of daily living and on cognitive impairment. For the purposes of a qualified long-term care insurance contract as defined in section 7702B of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 ( Public Law 99-514, 26 U.S.C. § 7702B ), the term shall include a determination by a licensed health care practitioner the insured is a chronically ill individual.
"Certificate." Any certificate issued under a group long-term care insurance policy which has been delivered or issued for delivery in this Commonwealth.
"Commissioner." The Insurance Commissioner of the Commonwealth.
"Department." The Insurance Department of the Commonwealth.
"Functionally necessary." The appropriateness of services directed to address the individual's inability to perform tasks required for daily living, as defined through regulation, and the individual's need for continuous care or supervision.
"Group long-term care insurance." A long-term care insurance policy which is delivered or issued for delivery in this Commonwealth and issued to any of the following:
"Independent review organization." An organization that conducts independent reviews of long-term care benefit trigger decisions.
"Long-term care insurance." Any insurance policy or rider advertised, marketed, offered or designed to provide comprehensive coverage for each covered person on an expense-incurred, indemnity, prepaid or other basis for functionally necessary or medically necessary diagnostic, preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative, maintenance or personal care services provided in a setting other than an acute care unit of a hospital. The term includes a policy, rider or prepaid home health or personal care service policy. The term includes group and individual policies or riders issued by insurers, fraternal benefit societies, nonprofit health, hospital and medical service corporations, health maintenance organizations or similar organizations. The term does not include any insurance policy which is offered primarily to provide basic Medicare supplement coverage, basic hospital expense coverage, basic medical-surgical expense coverage, hospital confinement indemnity coverage, major medical expense coverage, disability income protection coverage, accident-only coverage, specified disease or specified accident coverage or limited benefit health coverage.
"Medically necessary." The appropriateness of treatment of the insured's condition, including nonmedical support services, based on current standards of acceptable medical practice. The term may exclude benefits for care or services which are primarily for the convenience of the insured or the person's physician.
"Policy." Any policy, contract, subscriber agreement, rider or endorsement delivered or issued for delivery in this Commonwealth by an insurer, fraternal benefit society, nonprofit health, hospital or medical service corporation, prepaid health plan, health maintenance organization or any similar organization.
"Prepaid home health or personal care service policy." A policy, contract, subscriber agreement, rider or endorsement delivered or issued for delivery in this Commonwealth to provide home health or personal care services. This term excludes:
This contract is not insurance; it is not to be used as a substitute or replacement for insurance; it provides none of the safeguards of insurance regulated by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, such as a guarantee that all benefits or services will be fully funded. In the event of insolvency, there is no Pennsylvania Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association protection.
Under Pennsylvania law, the service contract provider may not seek or use any medical information to determine your eligibility for purchasing this contract or to set rates under the contract. Further, the service contract provider must provide you with all contracted services upon demand, without regard to your medical condition or medical necessity.
Any attempted or actual solicitation or sale of this product as a substitute for or replacement of a long-term care policy is a violation of Pennsylvania insurance laws, reportable to the Insurance Department of this Commonwealth.
40 P.S. § 991.1103