KRS 205.510: Definitions for medical assistance law.

As used in this chapter as it pertains to medical assistance unless the context clearly

requires a different meaning:

(1) "Behavioral health professional" means a person authorized to provide mental

health or substance use disorder services under the laws of the Commonwealth;

(2) "Chiropractor" means a person authorized to practice chiropractic under the laws of

the Commonwealth;

(3) "Council" means the Advisory Council for Medical Assistance;

(4) "Dentist" means a person authorized to practice dentistry un der laws of the

Commonwealth;

(5) "Health professional" means a physician, physician assistant, nurse, doctor of

chiropractic, behavioral health professional, optometrist, dentist, or allied health

professional who is licensed in Kentucky;

(6) "Medical car e" as used in this chapter means essential medical, surgical,

chiropractic, dental, optometric, podiatric, telehealth, and nursing services, in the

home, office, clinic, or other suitable places, which are provided or prescribed by

physicians, optometrists , podiatrists, or dentists licensed to render such services,

including drugs and medical supplies, appliances, laboratory, diagnostic and

therapeutic services, nursing -home and convalescent care, hospital care as defined

in KRS 205.560(1)(a), and such othe r essential medical services and supplies as

may be prescribed by such persons; but not including abortions, or induced

miscarriages or premature births, unless in the opinion of a physician such

procedures are necessary for the preservation of the life of the woman seeking such

treatment or except in induced premature birth intended to produce a live viable

child and such procedure is necessary for the health of the mother or her unborn

child. However, this section does not authorize optometrists to perform any services

other than those authorized by KRS Chapter 320;

(7) "Nurse" means a person authorized to practice professional nursing under the laws

of the Commonwealth;

(8) "Nursing home" means a facility which provides routine medical care in which

physicians regularly visit patients, which provide nursing services and procedures

employed in caring for the sick which require training, judgment, technical

knowledge, and skills beyond that which the untrained person possesses, and which

maintains complete r ecords on patient care, and which is licensed pursuant to the

provisions of KRS 216B.015;

(9) "Optometrist" means a person authorized to practice optometry under the laws of

the Commonwealth;

(10) "Other persons eligible for medical assistance" may include the categorically needy

excluded from monetary payment status by state requirements and classifications of

medically needy individuals as permitted by federal laws and regulations and as

prescribed by administrative regulation of the secretary for health and family

services or his designee;

(11) "Pharmacist" means a person authorized to practice pharmacy under the laws of the

Commonwealth;

(12) "Physician" means a person authorized to practice medicine or osteopathy under the

laws of the Commonwealth;

(13) "Podiatrist" means a person authorized to practice podiatry under the laws of the

Commonwealth;

(14) "Primary-care center" means a facility which provides comprehensive medical care

with emphasis on the prevention of disease and the maintenan ce of the patients'

health as opposed to the treatment of disease;

(15) "Public assistance recipient" means a person who has been certified by the

Department for Community Based Services of the Cabinet for Health and Family

Services as being eligible for, and a recipient of, public assistance under the

provisions of this chapter;

(16) "Telehealth" means the same as in KRS 211.332;

(17) "Telehealth consultation" means a medical or health consultation, for purposes of

patient diagnosis or treatment, that meets the definition of telehealth in this section;

(18) "Third party" means an individual, institution, corporation, company, insurance

company, personal representative, administrator, executor, trustee, or public or

private agency, including, but not limited to, a reparation obligor and the assigned

claims bureau under the Motor Vehicle Reparations Act, Subtitle 39 of KRS

Chapter 304, who is or may be liable to pay all or part of the medical cost of injury,

disease, or disability of an applicant or recipient of medical assistance provided

under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. sec. 1396 et seq.; and

(19) "Vendor payment" means a payment for medical care which is paid by the Cabinet

for Health and Family Services directly to the authorized person or institution which

rendered medical care to an eligible recipient.