Often used synonymously with either member or beneficiary but in a strict sense means only the individual (family head or employee) who has elected to contract for, or participate in (subscribe to) an insurance or HMO plan for either himself or himself and his eligible dependents.
As used in health insurance and with prepayment plans, the subscriber is the person (the eligible employee, for example) who signs up and pays the premiums. Dependents of the subscriber, as well as the subscriber her or himself, are all enrollees (sometimes called members or “covered persons”), but not all enrollees are subscribers.