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Glossary

This glossary explains terms in the Medicare program, but it is not a legal document. The official Medicare program provisions are found in the relevant laws, regulations, and rulings.

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Term	Definition
GRIEVANCE	A complaint about the way your Medicare health plan is giving care. For example, you may file a grievance if you have a problem calling the plan or if you are unhappy with the way a staff person at the plan has behaved toward you. A grievance is not the way to deal with a complaint about a treatment decision or a service that is not covered (see Appeal).
GROUP HEALTH PLAN	A health plan that provides health coverage to employees, former employees, and their families, and is supported by an employer or employee organization.
GROUP HEALTH PLAN	An employee (or retiree) benefit plan established or maintained by an employer, an employee organization (such as a union), or a church group that provides medical care to employees and their dependents directly or through insurance (including and HMO), reimbursement or otherwise.
GROUP HEALTH PLAN NUMBER	A number that will be assigned to all group health plans in the future by the CMS division administering the transactions, code sets, security and administrative simplification portions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) GSA - General Services Administration
GUARANTEED ISSUE RIGHTS (ALSO CALLED "MEDIGAP PROTECTIONS")	Rights you have in certain situations when insurance companies are required by law to sell or offer you a Medigap policy. In these situations, an insurance company can’t deny you a policy, or place conditions on a policy, such as exclusions for pre-existing conditions, and can’t charge you more for a policy because of past or present health problems.
GUARANTEED RENEWABLE	A right you have that requires your insurance company to automatically renew or continue your Medigap policy, unless you make untrue statements to the insurance company, commit fraud or don’t pay your premiums.

This glossary explains terms in the Medicare program, but it is not a legal document. The official Medicare program provisions are found in the relevant laws, regulations,and rulings.

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