Glossary of Health Care Terms
Iowa Glossary
A
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.
ASC/SPU - Ambulatory surgical center / short procedure unit.
Authorization - An O.K. or approval for a service.
B
Benefits - Services, procedures and medications that UnitedHealthcare hawk-i will cover for you.
C
Clinical Care Management - One-on-one help by a nurse providing education and coordination of UnitedHealthcare hawk-i benefits, tailored to your needs.
D
Disenrollment - To stop your membership in UnitedHealthcare hawk-i.
E
Emergency - When you reasonably believe that your health is in serious danger.
F
Fraud - An untruthful act – an example is someone other than you using your UnitedHealthcare hawk-i member ID card and pretending to be you.
G
H
hawk-i - Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa (hawk-i) is Iowa's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) offering health insurance to children under the age of 19 that meet eligibility requirements.
Home Health Agency - A company hired by UnitedHealthcare hawk-i to provide care for you in your home.
I
ID card - Identification card – a card that says you are a UnitedHealthcare hawk-i member. You should have this card with you at all times.
Informed Consent - You agree to all medical treatments.
Inpatient - When you are admitted into a hospital for a length of time.
J
K
L
M
Medical Necessity - Your health care provider decides if a treatment, admission, procedure, medical supply, equipment, service or supply is medically necessary.
Member - A person who is eligible for UnitedHealthcare hawk-i.
N
O
Outpatient - When you have a procedure done that does not require a hospital stay overnight.
P
Provider - Any medical professional that UnitedHealthcare hawk-i has contracted with to take care of you.
Provider Directory - A list of providers who participate with UnitedHealthcare hawk-i to help take care of your health care needs.
Primary Care Physician (PCP) - A doctor you choose to be your family physician. They have their own private practices.
Prior Authorization - The process for any service that needs an O.K. from UnitedHealthcare hawk-i before it can take place.
Q
R
Referral - When you and your primary care provider agree you need to see another doctor, your primary care provider will send you to a UnitedHealthcare hawk-i specialist.
S
Self-Referred Services - Services for which you do not need to see your primary care provider for a referral.
Special Needs Unit (SNU) - A voluntary service offered by UnitedHealthcare hawk-i that can give you extra help in understanding and using your benefits if you have a disability or other special need.
Specialist - A doctor that has specific, detailed training in one certain medical field.
T
Treatment - The care that you may receive from doctors and facilities.
U
Urgent care - When you need care, treatment or medical advice within a 24-hour time period.
V
W
WIC - Women, Infants and Children program, a supplemental nutrition program that provides nutritious food, education support and health care referrals for women, infants and children.