Section 500.4501 - DefinitionsAs used in this chapter:
(a) "Authorized agency" means the department of state police; a city, village, or township police department; a county sheriff's department; a United States criminal investigative department or agency; the prosecuting authority of a city, village, township, county, or state or of the United States; the office of financial and insurance regulation; or the department of state.(b) "Financial loss" includes, but is not limited to, loss of earnings, out-of-pocket and other expenses, repair and replacement costs, investigative costs, and claims payments.(c) "Insurance policy" or "policy" means an insurance policy, benefit contract of a self-funded plan, health maintenance organization contract, nonprofit dental care corporation certificate, or health care corporation certificate.(d) "Insurer" means a property-casualty insurer, life insurer, third party administrator, self-funded plan, health insurer, health maintenance organization, nonprofit dental care corporation, health care corporation, reinsurer, or any other entity regulated by the insurance laws of this state and providing any form of insurance.(e) "Organization" means an organization or internal department of an insurer established to detect and prevent insurance fraud.(f) "Person" includes an individual, insurer, company, association, organization, Lloyds, society, reciprocal or inter-insurance exchange, partnership, syndicate, business trust, corporation, and any other legal entity.(g) "Practitioner" means a licensee of this state authorized to practice medicine and surgery, psychology, chiropractic, or law, any other licensee of the state, or an unlicensed health care provider whose services are compensated, directly or indirectly, by insurance proceeds, or a licensee similarly licensed in other states and nations, or the practitioner of any nonmedical treatment rendered in accordance with a recognized religious method of healing.(h) "Runner", "capper", or "steerer" means a person who receives a pecuniary or other benefit from a practitioner, whether directly or indirectly, for procuring or attempting to procure a client, patient, or customer at the direction or request of, or in cooperation with, a practitioner whose intent is to obtain benefits under a contract of insurance or to assert a claim against an insured or an insurer for providing services to the client, patient, or customer. Runner, capper, or steerer does not include a practitioner who procures clients, patients, or customers through the use of public media.(i) "Statement" includes, but is not limited to, any notice statement, proof of loss, bill of lading, receipt for payment, invoice, account, estimate of property damages, bill for services, claim form, diagnosis, prescription, hospital or doctor record, X-rays, test result, or other evidence of loss, injury, or expense.Amended by 2012, Act 39,s 2, eff. 3/6/2012.Add. 1995, Act 276, Eff. 3/28/1996.