Alaska § 47.08.140 - Definitions.

§ 47.08.140. Definitions.

In AS 47.08.010 — 47.08.140,        (1) “applicant” means a person who has suffered a catastrophic illness and is applying for assistance under AS 47.08.010 — 47.08.140 or is the subject of an application for assistance under AS 47.08.010 — 47.08.140;

 (2) “applicant's share” means the amount of the total medical expense related to the catastrophic illness that the committee determines the applicant can reasonably be expected to pay based on income, assets, and number of dependents under AS 47.08.060 ;

 (3) “catastrophic illness” means illness or injury that results in medical expenses of over $1,000 during a period not to exceed 12 months, after all other sources of third-party payment have been exhausted;

 (4) “committee” means the Catastrophic Illness Committee, created under AS 47.08.020 ;

 (5) “elective medical or surgical procedures” means treatment that is not essential to the life or health of a person;

 (6) “family” means two or more persons related by blood or marriage or adoption living as one economic unit;

 (7) “liquid assets” means assets that can be readily converted to cash;

 (8) “medical expense” means any financial obligation incurred in the course of treatment of illness as prescribed by a physician, including bills for ancillary services, patient transportation, transportation of a medical or family escort when reasonably necessary, or living expenses while receiving outpatient treatment in a community to which the applicant is not reasonably able to commute from the applicant's permanent place of abode;

 (9) “nonliquid assets” means all assets that are not liquid assets;

 (10) “permanent place of abode” means a dwelling, or a dwelling unit in a multiple dwelling, including lots and outbuildings or an appropriate portion of these, that are necessary to convenient use of the dwelling unit;

 (11) “provider” means a licensed physician, pharmacist, dentist, or other health service worker or a licensed hospital, clinic, skilled nursing home, intermediate care facility or health maintenance organization that has provided services not excluded by AS 47.08.050 to an applicant as a result of a catastrophic illness;

 (12) “third-party payments” means payments of medical expenses related to a catastrophic illness by sources other than the applicant or the committee, including but not limited to state and federal medical assistance programs, private health insurance, employment-related health insurance, military health insurance, workers' compensation, violent crimes compensation, Indian Health Service of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and awards in legal actions.

Article 2. Assistance for Chronic or Acute Medical Conditions.