As used in this part:

1. (1) “Commissioner” means the Insurance Commissioner;
2. (2) “Department” means the State Insurance Department;

3. (3)

   1. (A) “Diabetes” means and shall include Type I, Type II, or gestational diabetes, diabetes insipidus, and other specific types, and means diabetes mellitus, a common chronic, serious systemic disorder of energy metabolism that includes a heterogeneous group of metabolic disorders that can be characterized by an elevated blood glucose level.

   2. (B) The terms “diabetes” and “diabetes mellitus” are considered synonymous and defined to include:

      1. (i) Persons using insulin;
      2. (ii) Persons not using insulin;
      3. (iii) Individuals with elevated blood glucose levels induced by pregnancy; or
      4. (iv) Persons with other medical conditions or medical therapies that wholly or partially consist of elevated blood glucose levels;

4. (4) “Diabetes educator” or “healthcare provider” means only an individual, licensed by one (1) of the following Arkansas state boards, who has completed such Arkansas state board’s educational program that is in compliance with the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support as developed by the American Diabetes Association, and only those duly certified to instruct in diabetes self-management, including, but not limited to:

   1. (A) The Arkansas State Medical Board;
   2. (B) The Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine;
   3. (C) The State Board of Optometry;
   4. (D) The Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy;
   5. (E) The Arkansas State Board of Nursing;
   6. (F) The Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy;
   7. (G) The Arkansas Dietetics Licensing Board; and
   8. (H) Other Arkansas state licensing agencies, boards, or commissions for medical professionals;

5. (5)

   1. (A) “Diabetes self-management training” means instruction in an inpatient or outpatient setting, including medical nutrition therapy, relating to diet, caloric intake, and diabetes management but excluding programs the primary purposes of which are weight reduction.
   2. (B) The training is to enable diabetic patients to understand the diabetic management process and daily management of diabetic therapy as a method of avoiding frequent hospitalizations and complications when the instruction is provided in accordance with a program in compliance with the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support developed by the American Diabetes Association;

6. (6) “Health insurance policy” means a group or individual disability insurance policy, contract, or plan that provides medical coverage on an expense-incurred, service, or prepaid risk-sharing basis issued by authorized:

   1. (A) Stock and mutual insurers;
   2. (B) Fraternal benefit societies;
   3. (C) Hospital or medical service corporations; and
   4. (D) Health maintenance organizations; and

7. (7) “Healthcare insurer” under Arkansas Code § 23-79-601 means any insurance company, fraternal benefit society, hospital and/or medical services corporation, or health maintenance organization issuing or delivering a health (disability) insurance policy subject to the Arkansas Insurance Code, codified as Arkansas Code § 23-60-101 et seq., or its successor laws, and in particular, the provisions of:

   1. (A) Arkansas Code § 23-74-101 et seq., as to fraternal benefit societies;
   2. (B) Arkansas Code § 23-75-101 et seq., as to hospital or medical service corporations; and
   3. (C) Arkansas Code § 23-76-101 et seq., as to health maintenance organizations.