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UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Glossary

A

  • Abuse

    Harming someone on purpose (this includes yelling, ignoring a person's needs and inappropriate touching).

  • Advance Directive

    A decision about your health care that you make ahead of time in case you are ever unable to speak for yourself. This will let your family and your doctors know what decisions you would make if you were able to.

  • Appeal

    An appeal is a dispute made by a member, his or her representative or a provider with the member's permission, challenging an action by the health plan to deny or limit authorization of a service, including the type or level of service or reduce, suspend, or terminate payment for a previously authorized service; or any failure to authorize services in a timely manner or decide a grievance or appeal within the required time frames.

  • Authorization

    An O.K. or approval for a service.

B

  • Benefits

    Services, procedures and medications that UnitedHealthcare Community Plan will cover for you.

C

  • Clinical Care Management

    One-on-one help by a nurse providing education and coordination of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan benefits, tailored to your needs.

D

  • Disenrollment

    To stop your membership in UnitedHealthcare Community Plan.

  • DME

    Durable Medical Equipment includes things such as wheelchairs, walkers, diabetic glucose meter, IV poles that have to be used for a length of time. It can also be equipment that must be thrown away such as bandages, catheters and needles. DME must be requested by your doctor.

E

  • Emergency

    A sudden and, at the time, unexpected change in a person's physical or mental condition which, if a procedure or treatment is not performed right away, could be expected to result in 1) the loss of life or limb, 2)  significant impairment to a bodily function, 3) permanent damage to a body part or health of unborn child.

F

  • Fraud

    An untruthful act (example: if someone other than you uses your member ID card and pretends to be you).

G

  • Grievance

    A grievance is an expression of dissatisfaction about the health plan, or a practitioner or any matter other than an action taken by the plan. Grievances can include issues with the quality of care or services provided, aspects of interpersonal relationships such as rudeness of a provider or employee, or failure to respect a member's rights.

H

  • Health Information

    Facts about your health and care. This information may come from UnitedHealthcare Community Plan or a provider. It includes information about your physical and mental health, as well as payments for care.

I

  • ID Card

    An identifcation card that says you are a UnitedHealthcare Community Plan member. You should have this card with you at all times.

  • Immunization

    A medicine (usually a shot) that protects, or "immunizes" a member from a disease. Children should receive different shots at different ages. These shots are often given during regular doctor visits.

  • In-Network

    Doctors, specialists, hospitals, pharmacies and other providers who have an arrangement with UnitedHealthcare Community Plan to provide health care services to members.

  • Informed Consent

    That all medical treatments have been explained to you; you understand and agree to them.

  • Inpatient

    When you are admitted into a hospital for a length of time.

M

  • Member

    An eligible person enrolled with UnitedHealthcare Community Plan in the Medicaid program.

O

  • ODJFS

    Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

  • OhioRISE

    OhioRISE is a specialized Medicaid health plan for youth with complex behavioral health needs. This program provides behavioral healthcare services to eligible youth. Children and youth who are eligible are under the age of 21 and demonstrate the need for additional behavioral health care as identified through the Ohio Children’s Initiative Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment or a recent inpatient admission for mental health or substance use disorder services.

    OhioRISE expands access to in-home and community-based services to ensure eligible children and youth and their families have the tools and supports they need to grow and thrive.

  • Out-of-Network

    Doctors, specialists, hospitals, pharmacies and other providers who do not have an arrangement with UnitedHealthcare Community Plan to provide health care services to members.

P

  • Prescription

    A doctor's written instructions for medication or treatment.

  • Primary Care Provider (PCP)

    A doctor you choose to be your primary care provider who has his/her own private practice. Your PCP will coordinate all of your health care.

  • Prior Authorization

    Process that your doctor uses to get approval for services that need to be approved before they can be done. Your doctor must call Utilization Management (UM) at 1-800-366-7304 before you obtain a service or procedure that is listed as requiring an okay.

     

  • Provider Directory

    A list of providers who participate with UnitedHealthcare Community Plan to help take care of your healthcare needs.

  • Provider or Practitioner

    A person or facility that offers health care (doctor, pharmacy, dentist, clinic, hospital, etc.).

R

  • Referral

    When you and your PCP agree you need to see another doctor and your PCP sends you to a network specialist.

S

  • Self-Referred Services

    Services for which you do not need to see your PCP for a referral.

  • Specialist

    Any doctor who has special training for a specific condition or illness.

U

  • Urgent Care

    An alternative to hospital emergency department care for use in non-emergencies. Used when health conditions are urgent, but are not health- or life-threatening.

W

  • WIC

    Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children which provides nutrition counseling, nutrition education, and nutritious foods to pregnant and postpartum women, infants and children up to the age of 2. Children deemed nutritionally deficient are covered up to age 5 if they are low income and are determined to be at nutritional risk.

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