Federal and state statutes are __________.

Federal and state statutes are laws that have been formally enacted by legislative bodies, such as Congress at the federal level or state legislatures at the state level. These statutes are created through a structured process that includes proposal, debate, modification, and approval by elected representatives. Once passed, they are codified and serve as the legal framework within which activities, including those concerning health insurance, must operate.

This distinguishes statutes from other legal sources such as court decisions, which interpret laws and are part of common law, or guidelines from organizations like the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which provide direction but do not carry the force of law in the same way as statutes do. Understanding the role of statutes is crucial for comprehending how health insurance regulations and compliance are established, implemented, and enforced at both the federal and state levels.