54-52.1-01. Definitions

54-52.1-01. Definitions

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Board" means the public employees retirement board.

2. "Carrier" means:

a. For the hospital benefits coverage, an insurance company authorized to do

business in the state, or a nonprofit hospital service association, or a prepaid

group practice hospital care plan authorized to do business in the state, or the

state if a self-insurance health plan is used for providing hospital benefits

coverage.

b. For the medical benefits coverage, an insurance company authorized to do

business in the state, or a nonprofit medical service association, or a prepaid

group practice medical care plan authorized to do business in the state, or the

state if a self-insurance health plan is used for providing medical benefits

coverage.

c. For the life insurance benefits coverage, an insurance company authorized to do

business in the state.

3. "Department, board, or agency" means the departments, boards, agencies, or

associations of this state. The term includes the state's charitable, penal, and higher

educational institutions; the Bank of North Dakota; the state mill and elevator

association; and counties, cities, district health units, and school districts.

4. "Eligible employee" means every permanent employee who is employed by a

governmental unit, as that term is defined in section 54-52-01. "Eligible employee"

includes members of the legislative assembly, judges of the supreme court, paid

members of state or political subdivision boards, commissions, or associations,

full-time employees of political subdivisions, elective state officers as defined by

section 54-06-01, and disabled permanent employees who are receiving

compensation from the North Dakota workforce safety and insurance fund. As used in

this subsection, "permanent employee" means one whose services are not limited in

duration, who is filling an approved and regularly funded position in a governmental

unit, and who is employed at least seventeen and one-half hours per week and at least

five months each year or for those first employed after August 1, 2003, is employed at

least twenty hours per week and at least twenty weeks each year of employment. For

purposes of sections 54-52.1-04.1, 54-52.1-04.7, 54-52.1-04.8, and 54-52.1-11,

"eligible employee" includes retired and terminated employees who remain eligible to

participate in the uniform group insurance program pursuant to applicable state or

federal law.

5. "Health insurance benefits coverage" means hospital benefits coverage or medical

benefits coverage, or both.

6. "Health maintenance organization" means an organization certified to establish and

operate a health maintenance organization in compliance with chapter 26.1-18.1.

7. "Hospital benefits coverage" means a plan that either provides coverage for, or pays,

or reimburses expenses for hospital services incurred in accordance with the uniform

contract.

8. "Life insurance benefits coverage" means a plan that provides both term life insurance

and accidental death and dismemberment insurance in amounts determined by the

board, with a minimum of one thousand dollars provided for the term life insurance

portion of the coverage.

9. "Medical benefits coverage" means a plan that either provides coverage for, or pays,

or reimburses expenses for medical services in accordance with the uniform contract.

10. "Member contribution" means the payment by the member into the retiree health

benefits fund pursuant to sections 54-52-02.9 and 54-52-17.4.

11. "Member's account balance" means the member's contributions plus interest at the

rate set by the board.

12. "Self-insurance health plan" means a plan of self-insurance providing health insurance

benefits coverage under section 54-52.1-04.2.

13. "Temporary employee" means a governmental unit employee who is not filling an

ealth

benefits fund pursuant to sections 54-52-02.9 and 54-52-17.4.

11. "Member's account balance" means the member's contributions plus interest at the

rate set by the board.

12. "Self-insurance health plan" means a plan of self-insurance providing health insurance

benefits coverage under section 54-52.1-04.2.

13. "Temporary employee" means a governmental unit employee who is not filling an

approved and regularly funded position in an eligible governmental unit and whose

services may or may not be limited in duration.