§437.3. Definitions

            As used in this Part, the following terms have the following meanings:

            (1) "Administrative adjudication" means adjudication and the adjudication process contained in the Administrative Procedure Act.

            (2) "Agent" means a person who is employed by or has a contractual relationship with a health care provider or who acts on behalf of the health care provider.

            (3) "Billing agent" means an agent who performs any or all of the health care provider's billing functions.

            (4) "Billing" or "bills" means submitting, or attempting to submit, a claim for goods, services, or supplies.

            (5) "Claim" means any request or demand, whether under a contract or otherwise, for money or property, whether or not the state or department has title to the money or property, that is drawn in whole or in part on medical assistance programs funds that are either of the following:

            (a) Presented to an officer, employee, or agent of the state or department.

            (b) Made to a contractor, grantee, or other recipient, if the money or property is to be spent or used in any manner in any program administered by the department under the authority of federal or state law, rule, or regulation, and if the state or department does either of the following:

            (i) Provides or has provided any portion of the money or property requested or demanded.

            (ii) Reimburses the contractor, grantee, or other recipient for any portion of the money or property which is requested or demanded.

              A claim may be based on costs or projected costs and includes any entry or omission in a cost report or similar document, book of account, or any other document which supports, or attempts to support, the claim. A claim may be made through electronic means if authorized by the department. Each claim may be treated as a separate claim or several claims may be combined to form one claim.

            (6) "Department" means the Louisiana Department of Health.

            (7) "Good, service, or supply" means any good, item, device, supply, or service for which a claim is made, or is attempted to be made, in whole or part.

            (8) "Health care provider" means any person furnishing or claiming to furnish a good, service, or supply under the medical assistance programs, any other person defined as a health care provider by federal or state law or by rule, and a provider-in-fact.

            (9) "Knowing" or "knowingly" means that the person has actual knowledge of the information or acts in deliberate ignorance or reckless disregard of the truth or falsity of the information. No proof of specific intent to defraud is required.

            (10) "Managed care organization" means any person or entity contracted with the department for the provision or management of healthcare benefits under the medical assistance programs through a capitated rate.

            (11) "Managing employee" means a person who exercises operational or managerial control over, or who directly or indirectly conducts, the day-to-day operations of a health care provider. "Managing employee" shall include but is not limited to a chief executive officer, president, general manager, business manager, administrator, or director.

            (12) "Material" means having a natural tendency to influence, or be capable of influencing, the payment or receipt of money or property.

            (13) "Medical assistance programs" means the Medical Assistance Program, also known as Title XIX of the Social Security Act and commonly referred to as "Medicaid", and other programs administered by the department.

            (14) "Obligation" means an established duty, whether or not fixed, arising from an express or implied contractual, grantor, grantee, or licensor-licensee relationship, from a free-based or similar relationship, from statute or regulation, or from the retention of any overpayment.

            (15) "Order" means a final order imposed pursuant to an administrative adjudication.

            (16) "Ownership interest" means the possession, directly or indirectly, of equity in the capital or the stock, or the right to share in the profits, of a health care provider.

            (17) "Property" means any and all property, movable and immovable, corporeal and incorporeal.

            (18) "Provider agreement" means a document which is required as a condition of enrollment or participation as a health care provider under the medical assistance programs.

            (19) "Provider-in-fact" means an agent who directly or indirectly participates in management decisions, has an ownership interest in the health care provider, or other persons defined as a provider-in-fact by federal or state law or by rule.

            (20) "Recipient" means an individual who is eligible to receive health care through the medical assistance programs.

            (21) "Recovery" means the recovery of overpayments, damages, fines, penalties, costs, expenses, restitution, attorney fees, or interest or settlement amounts.

            (22) "Rule" means any rule or regulation promulgated by the department in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act and any federal rule or regulation promulgated by the federal government in accordance with federal law.

            (23) "Sanction" shall include but is not limited to any or all of the following:

            (a) Recoupment.

            (b) Posting of bond, other security, or a combination thereof.

            (c) Exclusion as a health care provider.

            (d) A monetary penalty.

            (24) "Secretary" means the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, or his authorized designee.

            (25) "Secretary or attorney general" means that either party is authorized to institute a proceeding or take other authorized action as provided in this Part pursuant to a memorandum of understanding between the two so as to notify the public as to whether the secretary or the attorney general is the deciding or controlling party in the proceeding or other authorized matter; however the secretary may pursue an action pursuant to R.S. 46:438.1 et seq. only if the department referred the matter to the attorney general and the attorney general notified the secretary, in writing, that he declines to proceed with the matter.

            (26) "Withhold payment" means to reduce or adjust the amount, in whole or in part, to be paid to a health care provider for a pending or future claim during the time of a criminal, civil, or departmental investigation or proceeding or claims review of the health care provider.

            Acts 1997, No. 1373, §1; Acts 2011, No. 185, §§1, 3; Acts 2025, No. 206, §§1, 2.