Definitions

For the purposes of sections 17b-262-452 through 17b-262-463 the following definitions shall apply: (1) "Acute" means having rapid onset, severe symptoms, and a short course. (2) "Acute Care" means medical care needed for an illness, episode, or injury which requires short-term, intense care, and hospitalization for a short period of time. (3) "Allied Health Professional (AHP)" means a professional or paraprofessional individual who is qualified by special training, education, skills, and experience in mental health care and treatment and shall include, but is not limited to: psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, and other qualified therapists. (4) "By or Under the Supervision" means the psychiatrist shall assume professional responsibility for the service performed by the allied health professional, overseeing or participating in the work of the allied health professional including, but not limited to: (A) availability of the psychiatrist to the allied health professional in person and within five minutes; (B) availability of the psychiatrist on a regularly scheduled basis to review the practice, charts, and records of the allied health professional and to support the allied health professional in the performance of services; and (C) a predetermined plan for emergency situations, including the designation of an alternate psychiatrist in the absence of the regular psychiatrist. (5) "Client" means a person eligible for goods or services under the department's Medical Assistance Program. (6) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Social Services appointed pursuant to subsection (a) of section 17b-1 of the Connecticut General Statutes. (7) "Consultation" means those services rendered by a psychiatrist whose opinion or advice is requested by another physician or an agency in the evaluation and treatment of a client's illness. (8) "Department" means the Department of Social Services or its agent. (9) "Emergency" means a medical condition, including labor and delivery, manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity, including severe pain, such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in placing the client's health in serious jeopardy, serious impairment to bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. (10) "Estimated Acquisition Cost (EAC)" means the department's best estimate of the price generally and currently paid by providers for a drug marketed or sold by a particular manufacturer. (11) "HealthTrack Services" means the services described in subsection (r) of section 1905 of the Social Security Act. (12) "HealthTrack Special Services" means medically necessary and medically appropriate health care, diagnostic services, treatment, or other measures necessary to correct or ameliorate disabilities and physical and mental illnesses and conditions discovered as a result of a periodic comprehensive health screening or interperiodic encounter. Such services are provided in accordance with subdivision (5) of subsection (r) of section 1905 of the Social Security Act, and are: (A) services not covered under the State Plan or contained in a fee schedule published by the department; or (B) services covered under the State Plan and contained in a fee schedule published by the department which exceed the limit on the amount of services established by the department that are contained in regulation. (13) "Home" means the client's place of residence which includes a boarding home or home for the aged. Home does not include a hospital or long-term care facility; long-term care facility includes a nursing facility, chronic disease hospital, and intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded (ICF/MR). (14) "Interperiodic Encounter" means any medically necessary visit to a Connecticut Medical Assistance provider, other than for the purpose of performing a periodic comprehensive health screening. Such encounters include, but are not limited to, physician's office visits, clinic visits, and other primary care visits. (15) "Legend Drug" means the definition contained in section 20-571 of the Connecticut General Statutes. (16) "Licensed Practitioner of the Healing Arts" means a professional person providing health care pursuant to a license issued by the Department of Public Health (DPH). (17) "Long-Term Care Facility" means a medical institution which provides, at a minimum, skilled nursing services or nursing supervision and assistance with personal care on a daily basis. Long-term care facilities include: (A) nursing facilities, (B) chronic disease hospitals—inpatient, and (C) intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded (ICFs/MR). (18) "Medical Appropriateness or Medically Appropriate" means health care that is provided in a timely manner and meets professionally recognized standards of acceptable medical care; is delivered in the appropriate medical setting; and is the least costly of multiple, equally-effective, alternative treatments or diagnostic modalities. (19) "Medical Assistance Program" means the medical assistance provided pursuant to Chapter 319v of the Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) and authorized by Title XIX of the Social Security Act. The program is also referred to as Medicaid. (20) "Medical Necessity or Medically Necessary" means health care provided to correct or diminish the adverse effects of a medical condition or mental illness; to assist an individual in attaining or maintaining an optimal level of health; to diagnose a condition; or to prevent a medical condition from occurring. (21) "Medical Record" means the definition contained in section 19a-14-40 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, which is part of the Public Health Code. (22) "Prior Authorization" means approval for the provision of a service or the delivery of goods from the department before the provider actually provides the service or delivers the goods. (23) "Provider" means a psychiatrist. (24) "Provider Agreement" means the signed, written, contractual agreement between the department and the provider of services or goods. (25) "Psychiatric Services" means services provided to individuals, groups, and families, by or under the supervision of a licensed psychiatrist in private or group practice. In such a setting the psychiatrist retains the primary medical and clinical responsibility for work up of the initial evaluation, diagnosis, and prescription of the treatment plan, rehabilitation, and discharge of the client. Such services include the diagnosis of specific mental and social problems which disrupt an individual's daily functioning and provide treatment to reduce the symptoms and signs associated with these disturbances. (26) "Psychiatrist" means a physician licensed pursuant to section 20-10 of the Connecticut General Statutes who specializes in the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental and social disorders. (27) "State Plan" means the document which contains the services covered by the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program in compliance with Part 430, Subpart B, of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).