Section 43-1B-3. Definitions

   As used in this chapter, the term:

   (1) "Board" means any professional licensing board which, under the laws of this state, licenses, registers, or in any other way regulates any health care provider to whom this chapter applies.

   (2) "Designated health services" means clinical laboratory services, physical therapy services, rehabilitation services, diagnostic imaging services, pharmaceutical services, durable medical equipment, home infusion therapy services (including related pharmaceuticals and equipment), home health care services, and outpatient surgical services.

   (3) "Entity" means any individual, partnership, firm, corporation, or other business entity.

   (4) "Fair market value" means value in arm's length transactions consistent with the general market value and, with respect to rentals or leases, the value of rental property for general commercial purposes, not taking into account its intended use, and, in the case of a lease of space, not adjusted to reflect the additional value the prospective lessee or lessor would attribute to the proximity or convenience to the lessor where the lessor is a potential source of patient referrals to the lessee.

   (5) "Group practice" means a group of two or more health care providers legally organized as a partnership, professional corporation, or similar association:

      (A) In which each health care provider who is a member of the group provides substantially the full range of services which the health care provider routinely provides, including medical care, consultation, diagnosis, or treatment, through the joint use of shared office space, facilities, equipment, and personnel;

      (B) For which substantially all of the services of the health care providers who are members of the group are provided through the group and are billed in the name of the group and amounts so received are treated as receipts of the group; and

      (C) In which the overhead expenses of and the income from the practice are distributed in accordance with methods previously determined by members of the group.

   (6) "Health care provider" means a physician, chiropractor, podiatrist, optometrist, pharmacist, or physical therapist who is licensed or otherwise regulated under this title.

   (7) "Immediate family member" means a health care provider's spouse, child, child's spouse, grandchild, grandchild's spouse, parent, parent-in-law, or sibling.

   (8) "Investment interest" means an equity or debt security issued by an entity, including, without limitation, shares of stock in a corporation, units or other interests in a partnership, bonds, debentures, notes, or other equity interests or debt instruments. The following investment interests shall be excepted from this definition:

      (A) An investment interest in an entity that is a provider of a designated health service solely in a rural area;

      (B) An investment interest in notes, bonds, debentures, or other debt instruments issued by an entity which provides designated health services, as an integral part of a plan by such entity to acquire such investor's equity investment interest in the entity, provided that the interest rate is consistent with fair market value, and that the maturity date of the notes, bonds, debentures, or other debt instruments issued by the entity to the investor is not later than July 1, 1996;

      (C) An investment interest in real property resulting in a landlord-tenant relationship between the health care provider and the entity in which the equity interest is held, unless the rent is determined, in whole or in part, by the business volume or profitability of the tenant or exceeds fair market value;

      (D) A financial relationship between a university, college, or other entity providing education and training in the health sciences, including its owned and affiliated hospitals, and any entity or entities through which its faculty and employees who are health care providers provide designated health services; or

      (E) An investment interest in a publicly held corporation with total assets over $50 million whose shares are traded on a national exchange or over-the-counter market if the investment interest is less than 1 percent of the corporation, there are no special stock classes for health care provider investors, and no income from the investment interest is tied to the volume of referrals.

   (9) "Investor" means a health care provider or entity owning a legal or beneficial ownership or investment interest, directly or indirectly, including, without limitation, through an immediate family member, trust, or another entity related to the investor within the meaning of 42 C.F.R. subsection 413.17, in an entity.

   (10) "Referral" means any referral of a patient for health care services, including, without limitation:

      (A) The forwarding of a patient by a health care provider to another health care provider or to an entity which provides or supplies designated health services or any other health care item or service;

      (B) The request or establishment of a plan of care by a health care provider which includes the provision of designated health services or other health care item or service; or

      (C) The following orders, recommendations, or plans of care shall not constitute a referral by a health care provider:

         (i) By a radiologist for diagnostic imaging services;

         (ii) By a health care provider specializing in the provision of radiation therapy services for such services;

         (iii) By a health care provider referring within the health care provider's group practice;

         (iv) By a pathologist for diagnostic clinical laboratory tests and pathological examination services, if furnished by or under the supervision of such pathologist pursuant to a consultation requested by another health care provider;

         (v) By a staff health care provider of a hospital referring a patient to the hospital at which the health care provider has current staff privileges;

         (vi) By a health care provider for items or services provided by such health care provider or by a member of such health care provider's group practice to the patients of that health care provider or group practice or items or services provided or performed at the direction or under the supervision of such health care provider or group practice; or

         (vii) By a health care provider when the patient is in need of emergency health care services where any delay in treatment could reasonably be expected to jeopardize the life or health of the person affected.

   (11) "Rural area" means a county with a population density of no greater than 65 persons per square mile, as defined by the United States decennial census of 1990.

Code 1981, § 43-1B-3, enacted by Ga. L. 1993, p. 521, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 97, § 43; Ga. L. 1994, p. 530, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1706, § 19.