Public, private, formal, and informal programs and support systems, government laws, and finding ways to meet the needs of the aged including housing, home care, pensions, Social Security, long-term care, health insurance, and elder law.

Individual’s decision to join or leave the Medicare plan or a Medicare+Choice plan.

1. Under the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act (COBRA), 60-day length of time after an employee has been notified he or she may accept or decline health insurance coverage when their current position has been terminated. 2. Time when an eligible person may choose to join or leave the Medicare plan or a Medicare+Choice plan. A patient may join and leave Medicare health plans in four types of election periods: annual election period, initial coverage election period, special election period, and open enrollment period.

Induced termination of pregnancy before the fetus has developed enough to live if born and considered necessary by the woman carrying it and done at her request.

Inpatient or outpatient booking of a patient to a facility whose condition allows adequate time to schedule admission. Formal acceptance may be dependent on when the accommodations become available.

Medical service or procedure that is optional and could be scheduled such as surgery for cosmetic reasons, sterilization surgery, or elective abortion.

In an employee’s retirement plan, cash or deferred dollar amount put into an employee’s Section 401(k) plan by the employer. Contributions are made using before-tax dollars that are obtained through a voluntary reduction of the employee’s salary. The employee pays taxes when the funds are paid out at retirement time, making it a tax-deferred system. Also called elective deferrals .

Surgical procedure that may be scheduled in advance, is not an emergency, and is discretionary on the part of the physician and patient. Generally, elective surgery is required and may be major surgery.