Health Insurance Terms H

HCFA
Health Care Financing Administration.
HCFA 1500
A form used by providers of health services to bill their fees to health carriers. It was developed by the government agency known as Health Care Financing Administration.
HI.2
See Health Insurance and Medicare,

HIAA
See Health Insurance Association of America.
HII
See Health Insurance Institute.

HIQA. Health Insurance Quality Award
An award granted annually by the International Association of Health Underwriters or the National Association of Life Underwriters for high persistency of Health Insurance policies written by agents. See also Persistency.

HMO
See Health Maintenance Organization.

Home Health Agency
A certified facility approved by a health plan to provide services under contract.

Home Health Care
Care received at home as part-time skilled nursing care, speech therapy, physical or occupational therapy, part-time services of home health aides or help from homemakers or choreworkers.

Home Health Services
Health care services provided by a licensed home health agency in the patient's home which is a covered expense under Part A of Medicare.

Health Benefits Package
The coverages offered by a health plan to an individual or group.

Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA)
Part of the Department of Health and Human Services, responsible for administration of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The HCFA establishes standards for medical providers which must be complied with if the provider is to meet certification requirements.

Health History
A form used by underwriters to assist in evaluating groups or individuals to determine whether they are acceptable risks.

Health Plan
This refers to any kind of plan that covers health care services such as HMOs, insured plans, preferred provider organizations, etc.

Health Insurance (HI)
. Insurance against loss by sickness or bodily injury. The generic form for those forms of insurance that provide lump sum or periodic payments in the event of loss occasioned by bodily injury, sickness or disease, and medical expense. The term Health Insurance is now used to replace such terms as Accident Insurance, Sickness Insurance, Medical Expense Insurance, Accidental Death Insurance, and Dismemberment Insurance. The form is sometimes called Accident and Health, Accident and Sickness, Accident, or Disability Income Insurance.

Health Insurance Association of America (HIAA)
An association supported by Life and Health insurers to provide the research, public relations, education, and legislative base for the promotion of voluntary private Health Insurance.

Health Insurance Institute (HII)
The public relations arm of the Health Insurance Association of America. It provides for a flow of information from Health insurers to the public and from the public to the insurers.

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
An HMO is a prepaid medical service plan which provides services to plan members. Medical providers contract with the HMO to provide medical services to plan members. Members must use contracted providers. The emphasis is on preventive medicine, and it is an alternative to employee benefit plans. Employers of more than 25 persons are required to offer the alternative of HMO to employees, but not if the cost exceeds that of present employee benefit plans. (H)

Health Service Agreement (HSA)
The agreement between employer and the health plan which outlines a description of benefits, enrollment procedures, eligibility standards, etc.

Health Services
The benefits covered under a health contract.

Hospice
An organization which is primarily designed to provide pain relief, symptom management and supportive services for the terminally ill and their families. Hospice care is covered under Part A of Medicare.

Hospital Affiliation
A contract whereby one or more hospitals agrees to provide benefits to members of a specific health plan.

Hospital Alliances
A group of hospitals that work together to share common services and thereby reduce health costs. By grouping together, they are better able to compete with other alliances or chains. (H)

Hospital Benefits
Benefits payable for hospital room and board, plus miscellaneous charges resulting from hospitalization.

Hospital Expense Insurance
See Hospitalization Insurance.

Hospital Income Insurance
A form of insurance that provides a stated weekly or monthly payment while the insured is hospitalized, regardless of expenses incurred and regardless of whether or not other insurance is in force. The insured can use the weekly or monthly benefit as he chooses, for hospital or other expenses.

Hospital Indemnity
Coverage that pays based on daily, weekly, or monthly limits regardless of the amount of actual hospital expenses.

Hospital Insurance (HI)
Also identified as Part A of Medicare. HI provides inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing care home health and hospice care subject to a benefit period deductible and copayments for certain services.

Hospitalization Expense Policy
A policy which covers daily hospital room and board charges and also covers miscellaneous hospital expenses (such as X-ray, etc.). It also often covers emergency treatment charges and many times will also include a surgical benefit.
Hospitalization Insurance

A form of insurance that provides reimbursement within contractual limits for hospital and specific related expenses arising from hospitalization caused by injury or sickness.

House Confinement
A provision in some Health Insurance contracts which requires an insured to be confined to the house in order to be eligible for benefits. This provision is most commonly found in policies providing loss of income benefits.

Hunter Disability Tables
Tables which show the probability of total and permanent disability.