Health Plans Exceptions

A group health plan with less than 50 participants that is administered solely by the employer that established and maintains the plan is not a covered entity.

Two types of government-funded programs are not health plans:

1. those whose principal purpose is not providing or paying the cost of health care, such as the food stamps program; and
2. those programs whose principal activity is directly providing health care, such as a community health center, or the making of grants to fund the direct provision of health care.

Certain types of insurance entities are also not health plans, including entities providing only workers' compensation, automobile insurance, and property and casualty insurance.