# N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-01: 54-52.1-01. Definitions > North Dakota · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-01 ## Section - **Citation:** N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-01 - **Heading:** 54-52.1-01. Definitions - **Jurisdiction:** North Dakota - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** ND Code / Title 54 / Chapter 54-52.1 / Section 54-52.1-01 ## Text 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. ## Nearby sections - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-01 54-52.1-01. Definitions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-01.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-02 54-52.1-02. Uniform group insurance program created - Formation into subgroups](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-02.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-03 54-52.1-03. Employee participation in plan - Employee to furnish information - Benefits to continue upon retirement or termination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-03.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-03.1 54-52.1-03.1. Certain political subdivisions authorized to join uniform group insurance program - Employer contribution](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-03.1.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-03.2 54-52.1-03.2. Retiree health benefits fund - Appropriation](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-03.2.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-03.3 54-52.1-03.3. Eligibility for retiree health benefits - Fixed contribution and reduction factors](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-03.3.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-03.4 54-52.1-03.4. Temporary employees and employees on unpaid leave of absence](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-03.4.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-03.5 54-52.1-03.5. Emergency responders who die in the line of duty - Health benefits (Retroactive application - See note)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-03.5.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-04 54-52.1-04. Board to contract for insurance](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-04.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-04.1 54-52.1-04.1. Health maintenance organization contract - Membership option](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-04.1.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-04.2 54-52.1-04.2. Self-insurance health plan](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-04.2.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-04.3 54-52.1-04.3. Self-insurance health plan - Reserve fund - Continuing appropriation - Benefits - Insurance commissioner](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-04.3.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-04.4 54-52.1-04.4. Insurance to cover mammogram examinations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-04.4.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 54-52.1-04.5 54-52.1-04.5. Insurance to cover involuntary complications of pregnancy](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-04.5.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T54_C54-52.1_S54-52.1-01. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.