North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 58. Insurance § 58-53-1. Definitions

(1) “Group policy” means a group accident and health insurance policy issued by an insurance company and a group contract issued by a service corporation or health maintenance organization or similar corporation or organization.

(2) “Individual policy” or “converted policy” means an individual health insurance policy issued by an insurance company or an individual contract issued by a service corporation or health maintenance organization or similar corporation or organization.

(3) “Insurance” and “insured” refer to coverage under a group policy, individual policy or converted policy on a premium-paying basis, and do not include coverage provided by reason of a disability extension.

(4) “Insurer” means the entity issuing a group policy or an individual or converted policy.

(5) “Medicare” means Title XVIII of the United States Social Security Act as added by the Social Security Amendments of 1965 or as later amended or superseded.

(5a) “Member” or “employee” includes an insured spouse or dependent of a member or of an employee.

(6) “Premium” includes any premium or other consideration payable for coverage under a group or individual policy.

(7) “Reasonable and customary” means the most frequently used level of charge made for the supplies or for a specific service in the geographic subarea in which such supplies or services are received, of like kind or by physicians, or other practitioners, with similar qualifications.