Maine § 2084. - Definitions

§ 2084.. Definitions

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.   [PL 1993, c. 308, §1 (NEW).]

1.  Bureau.  "Bureau" means the Bureau of Insurance.

2.  Facility.  "Facility" means any sole proprietorship, partnership, firm, corporation or other business that provides health services.

3.  Group practice.  "Group practice" means a group of 2 or more health care practitioners legally organized as a partnership, professional corporation, nonprofit corporation or similar association in which:

A. Each health care practitioner who is a member, an employee or an independent contractor of the group provides substantially the full range of services that the health care practitioner routinely provides, including consultation, diagnosis or treatment, through the use of office space, facilities, equipment or personnel of the group;   [PL 1993, c. 308, §1 (NEW).]

B. The services of the health care practitioners are provided through the group and payments received for health services are treated as receipts of the group; and   [PL 1993, c. 308, §1 (NEW).]

C. The overhead expenses and the income from the practice are distributed by methods previously determined by the group.   [PL 1993, c. 308, §1 (NEW).]

4.  Health care practitioner.  "Health care practitioner" means an individual regulated under the laws of this State to provide health services. "Health care practitioners" include, without limitation, acupuncturists, chiropractors, dentists, dental hygienists, nurses, occupational therapists, optometrists, pharmacists, physical therapists, physicians including allopathic and osteopathic physicians, physician associates, podiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, speech therapists and audiologists or hearing aid dealers and examiners.

5.  Health services.  "Health services" means diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitative services for an injured, disabled or sick person.

6.  Immediate family member.  "Immediate family member" means a health care practitioner's parent, spouse, child or child's spouse.

7.  Investment interest.  "Investment interest" means an equity or debt security issued by a facility, including, without limitation, shares of stock in a corporation, units or other interests in a partnership, bonds, debentures, notes or other equity interests or debt instruments, except that investment interest does not include interest in a hospital licensed under state law.

8.  Investor.  "Investor" means an individual who owns, whose immediate family owns or who directly or indirectly owns a controlling interest in another facility that owns an investment interest in a facility that provides health services.

9.  Office practice.  "Office practice" includes the facility or facilities at which a health care practitioner, on a regular basis, provides or supervises the provision of professional health services to individuals.

10.  Referral.  "Referral" means a referral of a patient for health services, including, without limitation:

A. The forwarding of a patient by one health care practitioner to another health care practitioner or a facility outside the health care practitioner's office practice or group practice that provides health services; or   [PL 1993, c. 308, §1 (NEW).]

B. The establishment by a health care practitioner of a plan of care outside the health care practitioner's office practice or group practice that includes the provision of any health services.   [PL 1993, c. 308, §1 (NEW).]