Cafeteria plan: Flexible benefit plan under which the employer provides a range of taxable and nontaxable benefits options from which each eligible employee can make a limited number of selections. Options that may be available to employees through these plans include life insurance, health programs, retirement plans, vacation time and stock options. Nontaxable benefits can include group term life insurance, disability benefits, accident and health benefits and group legal services to the extent that such benefits are excludable from gross income. A cafeteria plan that includes taxable and nontaxable benefits must meet certain requirements under the Internal Revenue Code. May also describe a health benefit program that allows employees to select among various cost, coverage, or provider options.

Capitation (CAP): The payment of a per capita amount for a defined package of health care services. A specific dollar amount per member per month is paid to providers or organizations of providers for which they provide specific services, regardless of the quantity of services necessary to meet the health needs of the defined population.

Carrier: An organization acting as an insurer for private plans or government programs.

Carryover: That provision in medical plans that allows individuals who have not satisfied their deductible in a given calendar year to apply expenses incurred in the last quarter of that calendar year to the next year's deductible.

Catastrophic health insurance: Health insurance that provides protection against the high cost of treating severe or lengthy illnesses or disability. Generally, such policies cover all, or a specified percentage of, medical expenses above an amount that is the responsibility of another insurance policy up to a maximum limit of liability. It is also used to describe those services covered by reinsurance in a capitated program.

Certificate of insurance: A form that indicates the types of insurance policies written, policy dates, and coverage limits.

Claims-made basis: A liability coverage form that requires that claims be reported to the insurance company while the policy is still in force in order for coverage to apply. In other words, a claim must be made while the policy is in force. The claims-made form is one of two types of liability policy forms. The other more common form is called occurrence form. Under an occurrence form policy, a claim occurring during the policy term may be reported to the insurance company at any time, even years after the policy expires.

Coinsurance: The amount the insured is required to pay after the deductible has been met. The coinsurance rate is a percentage. Example: If the insurance company pays 80% you will pay 20%.

Commercial general liability insurance: Covers liability exposures that are common to all organizations; a combination of three separate coverages, each with its own insuring agreement and exclusions: Coverage A = general liability; Coverage B = personal injury and advertising injury liability; and Coverage C = medical payments.

Commercial property insurance: Covers risk of loss to an organization's buildings or personal property. Usually includes buildings, personal property of the insured, personal property of others on site and in the insured's possession. Coverage can be on an all-risk or specific-perils basis.

Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA): A Federal law that requires employers to offer continued health insurance coverage to employees who have had their health insurance coverage terminated. Applies to employers with 20 or more employees. Covers certain events which result in a loss of coverage. 18-month standard continuation, 36-month continuation for few conditions.

Continuation: Colorado state continuation applies to employers with fewer than 20 employees, government employers, and church plans. Covers certain events which result in a loss of coverage. 18-month continuation does not apply to self-funded plans, not available to dependents that age-off, only available if an employee has been continuously covered under the employer's plan for 6 consecutive months. In the case of death or divorce, the employee or dependent can elect conversion. No additional administrative premiums can be charged.

Conversion: In group health insurance, the opportunity given the insured and any covered dependents to change his or her group insurance to some form of individual insurance, without medical evaluation upon termination of his or her group insurance. Colorado Conversion: is available after exhaustion of COBRA, CO continuation, or in limited circumstances, when these options are not available. The basic or standard plan is offered. Coverage is direct with the carrier (not employer). No limit on duration of coverage. 31-day election period.

Cost Containment Certification: Employers implement and maintain a standardized loss prevention/loss control program to be eligible for a reduction on their workers' compensation premium.

Coordination of benefits: An insurance provision whereby responsibility for primary payment for medical services is allocated among carriers when a person is covered by more than one employer-sponsored health benefit program. This prevents beneficiaries from being reimbursed for more than 100% of allowable charges.

Copayment: The set amount you will pay for a services such as office visit, emergency room, prescription drugs.

Creditable coverage: Colorado defines Creditable Coverage as 1. Medicare or Medicaid. 2. Employee welfare plan or group health insurance or health benefit plan. 3. An individual health benefit plan. 4. A state health benefit risk pool. or 5. Federal Indian health service or a tribal organization, a health plan offered under chapter 89 of title 5, US code, a public health plan, or a health benefit plan of the federal Peace Corps Act.

Crime coverage: A package of policies that protect an organization against intentional theft by insiders, as well as theft of assets by third parties. Crime coverage generally includes a fidelity bond plus a basic menu of other coverages.