If you would like to recommend additions to the Delaware Healthcare Association's Glossary, send them for consideration to suzanne@deha.org.

To look up a health care term such as Actuary, choose the letter that the term begins with below under Alphabetical Glossary. This will take you to the terms beginning with that letter. To look up a health care acronym such as AIDS, choose the letter that the term begins with below under Acronyms. This will take you to all acronyms that begin with that letter.

Factored Rating	Community rating impacted by group-specific demographics (also known as adjusted community rating).
False Claims Act	A Federal law that imposes liability for treble damages and fines of $5,000 to $10,000 for knowingly submitting a false or fraudulent claim for payment to the Federal government.
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)	1993 Federal law requiring that employers of 50 or more (and public employers of any size) allow employees to take leave to care for ill family members and to return to substantially similar employment conditions following the leave.
Family Rest Residential Care	Residential option in Delaware providing less care than assisted living, usually at the "board and care" level (i.e., no direct health or personal care services) but differs from rest residential in that it is provided in the home of a caregiver. Also known as adult foster care.
Farmers Home Administration (FHA)	A division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that guarantees hospital mortgages.
Favorable Selection	Strategy that encourages the enrollment of the healthier persons while discouraging the enrollment of sicker persons. Also see cherry picking, adverse selection, and risk selection.
Federal Employee Health Benefit Program (FEHBP)	The health care program for Federal civilian employees. Enrollees can choose among a number of approved private plans, with the Federal government paying a major portion of the cost of the coverage.
Federal Financial Participation (FFP)	That portion paid by the Federal government to states for their share of expenditures for providing Medicaidservices, administering the Medicaid program, and certain other human service programs.
Federal HMO Act	Federal law regulating HMOs. Under the Federal HMO act, an entity must have three characteristics to call itself an HMO: (1) an organized system for providing health care or otherwise assuring health care delivery in a geographic area, (2) an agreed upon set of basic and supplemental health maintenance and treatment services, and (3) a voluntarily enrolled group of people.
Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP)	The percentage of Federal matching dollars available to a state to provide Medicaid services. FMAP is calculated annually based on a formula designed to provide a higher Federal matching rate to States with lower per capital income. Currently at 50% (minimum FMAP) for Delaware. Also see Medicaid.
Federal Poverty Level (FPL)	Income guidelines established annually by the Federal government. Public assistance programs usually define income limits in relation to FPL or the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) level. Also see supplemental security income.
Federal Qualified Health Center (FQHC)	A Federal payment option that enables qualified providers in medically underserved areas to receive cost-based Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and allows for the direct reimbursement of nurse practitioners, physician assistants and certified nurse midwives. Many outpatient clinics and specialty outreach services are qualified under this provision.
Federally Qualified HMOs	HMOs that meet certain Federally stipulated provisions aimed at protecting consumers, such as providing a broad range of basic health services, assuring financial solvency and monitoring the quality of care. The application process is administered by HCFA's Office of Prepaid Health Care.
Federal Register	An official publication of the Federal government that provides final and proposed regulations of Federal legislation.
Federation of American Health Systems	A trade association comprised of proprietary or investor-owned hospitals.
Fee Disclosure	Physicians and caregivers discussing their charges with patients prior to treatment.
Fee For Service	A method in which physicians and other health care providers receive a fee for services performed.
Fee HR Service Equivalency	Quantitative measures of the difference between the amount a provider receives from an alternative reimbursement system (e.g., capitation) compared to fee-for-service reimbursement.
Fee Schedule	A comprehensive listing of fees used by either a health care plan or the government to reimburse providers on a fee-for-services basis.
Fee Schedule Payment Area	A geographic area within which payment for a given service under the Medicare Fee Schedule will be equal.
Fellow of American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE)	A credential awarded by the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Fiduciary	Relating to, or found upon, a trust or confidence. A fiduciary relationship exists where an individual or organization has an explicit or implicit obligation to act in behalf of another person's or organization's interests in matters which affect the other person or organization. This fiduciary is also obligated to act in the other person's best interest with total disregard for any interests of the fiduciary.
Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)	The FASB establishes voluntary standards designed to improve the accuracy, relevancy, and usefulness of corporate financial statements. FASB is proposing rules that would require the present employer liability for future retiree health expenditures to be reported in accounting records and financial statements.
Financing	Refers to mechanisms through which money to pay health care providers for the delivery of health care services is delivered.
Fiscal Year (FY)	A 12-month period in which an organization accounts for the use of its funds. The Federal Government's fiscal year (FFY) is October 1 to September 30. The State of Delaware fiscal year (SFY) is from July 1 to June 30. Fiscal years are referred to by the calendar year in which they ended.
First Dollar Coverage	A feature of an insurance plan in which there is no deductible, and therefore the plan's sponsor pays a proportion or all of the covered services provided to a patient as soon as he or she enrolls.
Fiscal Intermediary	A regional administrator of payment/reimbursement for government programs.
Fiscal Note	An analysis by the Legislative Budget Office of the financial impact of proposed state legislation.
Flexible Benefit Plan	A benefit program that offers employees a number of benefit options, allowing them to tailor benefits to their needs.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)	An agency within the Federal government that is responsible for regulations pertaining to food and drugs sold in the United States.
Foreign Insurance Company	An insurance company that operates under the laws of another state.
Formula Grant	Federal assistance to local governments in accordance with a distribution formula established by law or regulation. The actual payment is usually based on such factors as: population characteristics, per capita income, substandard housing, or rate of unemployment. Formulas indicate the total of which recipients are entitled if the requirements, regulations or other criteria of law are met. Also seecategorical grant or block grant.
Formulary	The panel of drugs chosen by a hospital or managed care organization that is used to treat patients. Drugs outside of the formulary are not used, unless in rare, specific circumstances.
Foster Care	See adult foster care, family rest residential, or board and care.
Foundation for Accountability (FACCT)	Independent national organization that has developed a quality system similar to HEDIS that places more emphasis on outcomes, but does not take into account case mix.
Frail Elderly	Senior population with any combination of chronic conditions, dementia or ADL dependencies.
Free Look Provision	An insurance policy provision required by most states, allowing the policy owner to inspect the policy for a specified period of time. If desired the owner may return the policy to the insurer for a refund of the entire premium.
Free Standing Emergency Medical Service Center	A health care facility that is physically separate from a hospital and whose primary purpose is the provision of immediate, short-term medical care for minor but urgent medical conditions. Also called urgent care center.
Free Standing Facility	Usually a specialty facility that is not part of a comprehensive care system. For example, a free-standing surgery facility or a free-standing assisted living facility.
Free Standing Outpatient Surgical Center	A health care facility that is physically separate from a hospital, that provides pre-scheduled, outpatient surgical services. Also called surgicenteror ambulatory surgical facility.
Freedom of Choice (FOC)	In general, laws that permit enrollees to choose any provider and receive substantial reimbursement from their health plan. Also refers to a Federal Medicaid rule requiring states to ensure that Medicaidbeneficiaries are free to obtain services from any qualified provider. Exceptions are possible through waivers of Medicaid and special contract options. Also see any willing provider and point of service.
Frequency	The number of times a service was provided.
Fringe Benefits	Non-cash benefit, often including health insurance, provided to a worker by an employer.
Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)	A standardized accounting of the number of full-time and part-time employees.
Functionally Disabled	An inability to live independently or to perform ADLs or IADLs independently.
Functionally Impaired	See functionally disabled.
Funding level	The amount of revenue required to finance a medical care program. Under an insured program, this is usually premium rate. Under a self-funded program, this amount is usually assessed per expected claim cost, plus stop-loss premium, plus all related fees.
Funding Method	The means by which an employer pays for the employee health benefit plan. The most common methods are 1) prospective and/or retrospective, 2) refunding products, 3) self-funding, and 4) shared risk management.