Glossary

A facility, other than a hospital's maternity facilities or a physician's office, which provides a setting for labor, delivery, and immediate post-partum care as well as immediate care of new born infants.

A facility, other than a hospital, which provides dialysis treatment, maintenance, and/or training to patients or caregivers on an ambulatory or home-care basis.

A facility, other than psychiatric, which primarily provides diagnostic, therapeutic (both surgical and nonsurgical) and rehabilitation services by or under the supervision of physicians, to patients admitted for a variety of medical conditions.

A facility, which is approved to furnish at least one specific, ESRD service. These services may be performed in a renal transplantation center, a renal dialysis facility, self-dialysis unit, or special purpose renal dialysis facility.

A facility, which provides room, board, and other personal assistance services, generally on a long-term basis and which does not include a medical component.

A fast decision from the Medicare+Choice organization about whether it will provide a health service. A beneficiary may receive a fast decision within 72 hours when life, health or ability to regain function may be jeopardized.

A Federal advisory body within HHS that advises the Secretary regarding potential changes to the HIPAA standards.

A Federal Government agency that has a major role in reviewing proposed Federal regulations.

A federal insurance program similar to Social Security designed for workers in the railroad industry. The provisions of the Railroad Retirement Act provide for a system of coordination and financial interchange between the Railroad Retirement program and the Social Security program.

A Federal law that allows persons to qualify immediately for comparable health insurance coverage when they change their employment relationships. Title II, Subtitle F, of HIPAA gives HHS the authority to mandate the use of standards for the electronic exchange of health care data; to specify what medical and administrative code sets should be used within those standards; to require the use of national identification systems for health care patients, providers, payers (or plans), and employers (or sponsors); and to specify the types of measures required to protect the security and privacy of personally identifiable health care information. Also known as the Kennedy-Kassebaum Bill, the Kassebaum-Kennedy Bill, K2, or Public Law 104-191.