Collection of consistently defined, classified data that describe the medical content of a patient’s bill. For acute-care and short-term facilities, UHDDS is required by the federal government for Medicare and Medicaid discharged patients. UHDDS contains the patient’s age, sex, and ICD-9-CM diagnoses and procedures. The Uniform Hospital Discharge Abstract is used to collect the UHDDS. Assignment to a diagnosis-related group (DRG) is made from this data set by a fiscal intermediary.

Insurance policy regulations created by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners establishing provisions required in all individual health insurance policies. These provisions have been adopted by all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They include use of basic contract language, situations in which changes can be made to the policy, guidelines on how a beneficiary can be changed, submission of proof of loss, reinstatement of the policy, and grace period.

Health insurance contract conditions that require the use of basic contract language. The Uniform Individual Accident and Sickness Policy Provisions Act lists these provisions required by laws of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Type of rating system in which one premium is applicable for all insureds regardless of age, sex, or occupation.

Federal legislation passed by some states in the United States to alleviate problems of simultaneous death unless the will specifies what to do under simultaneous death. If the insured and beneficiary die together, the insurance company pays the secondary or contingent beneficiary. If the policy owner has not named a secondary beneficiary, the payment goes to the insured’s estate.

Government and international organizations (e.g., U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marines, U.S. Navy, U.S. Public Health Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, North Atlantic Treaty Organization).

Involving only one side.

Type of agreement in which only one of the parties is legally required to carry out the terms. Insurance contracts are unilateral because the insurance company promises benefits and only the insurer can be charged with breach of contract.
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A contract where only one of the parties makes a promise that is legally enforceable. An insurance contract qualifies as a unilateral contract because the insurer is the only one to make a promise.
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A contract such as an insurance policy in which only one party to the contract, the insurer, makes any enforceable promise. The insured does not make a promise but pays a premium, which constitutes his part of the consideration.

Entity that fails to meet the requirements of an insurable risk and falls outside the parameters of risk coverage using standard underwriting practices (e.g., high-risk individuals).