1. Time in which individuals may apply for life insurance or health insurance. 2. Time in which individuals may choose either to re-enroll in an existing managed care plan or change to a competitor’s plan. See also open enrollment period, federal open enrollment , and group enrollment period . 3. Specified time when an individual can sign up for Medicare benefits. The period for general enrollment is January 1 through March 31 of each year for Medicare supplementary insurance. 4. Certain period of time when an individual can join a Medicare health plan if it is open and accepting new Medicare members. If a health plan chooses to be open, it must allow all eligible people with Medicare to join.

Recruitment rules of an insurance plan for establishing eligibility.

During four time periods an individual can enroll in Medicare Part A: initial enrollment period (IEP), general enrollment period (GEP), special enrollment period (SEP), and transfer enrollment period (TEP).

Type of insurance plan wherein the medical liability is shifted from physicians to a health plan (e.g., health maintenance organization [HMO]). Any negligent injury to a patient under the HMO relieves individual providers of all personal liability for the injury. 2. Liability placed on each member of an industry responsible for the manufacture of a harmful or defective product. The distribution of liability is allotted by each manufacturer’s share of the market. Also termed industry-wide liability .

Computer network that connects every computer in every location of a business or corporation and runs the company’s applications such as an integrated health care delivery system to tie together multiple delivery sites.

Life insurance policy that states that the policy, along with a copy of the application for insurance, represents the whole agreement between the insurance company and the policyholder.

State of meeting all of the requirements for a specific Medicare benefit; the date of entitlement begins at age 65 for most beneficiaries.

Benefit that an individual has a right or a claim to (e.g., veterans’ pensions).

Resources or material goods that the reporting entity has authority to use in its operations (i.e., management has the authority to decide how funds are used, or management is legally obligated to use funds to meet entity obligations).