Process that continually monitors program performance. When a quality problem is identified, CQI develops a revised approach to that problem and monitors implementation and success of the revised approach. The process includes involvement at all stages by all organizations, which are affected by the problem and/or involved in implementing the revised approach. Sometimes called total quality management (TQM) and quality improvement (QI).

Type of whole life insurance that requires premiums payable until the death of the insured. Also called straight life insurance or whole life insurance.

Medical care of all levels and intensity such as skilled nursing care and intermediate care provided to frail and chronically ill patients in a variety of settings (e.g., hospital facilities, nursing homes) over an extended period of time. Services also focus on the social, residential, rehabilitative, and supportive needs of individuals. Also see episode of care (EOC).

Distribution of types of enrollees who are dependents in insurance health plans (i.e., individual [single] coverage, husband and wife, family, subscriber and spouse, or subscriber and children). This is used to determine average insurance contract size.

One month within an insurance contract period. This phrase is used by insurance companies and managed care plans to describe utilization or market share stated in terms of the number of subscriber contracts per month.

Numerical identification assigned by an insurance plan to each employer or individual plan. Contract numbers help to identify benefits of specific health insurance plans.

Type of agreement in which the amount of benefit paid is based on the actual amount of financial loss that is determined at the time of the loss. Many hospital expense insurance contracts are contracts of indemnity.
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Property and liability Insurance contracts are, subject to certain exceptions, contracts of indemnity. The person insured under these contracts should not benefit financially from the happening of the event insured against.

Entity that has a contractual agreement with a health insurance plan to give services to the plan’s members. Such entities include ambulatory surgical centers, dentists, extended care facilities, home health care agencies, hospitals, pharmacists, physicians, and skilled nursing facilities. Also called cooperating provider.