Group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. It is therapy using complementary medicine together with conventional medicine (e.g., using aromatherapy to help lessen a patient’s discomfort after major surgery) or conventional medicine in place of alternative medicine (e.g., use of a special diet to treat cancer instead of major surgery or chemotherapy). Also see National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).

Supplementary medical insurance for individuals who participate in Medicare Parts A and B. Also known as Medigap (MG) policy, gap fill, Medifill, Medicare supplement policy, or wraparound plan.

Hospital facilities and providers that work together to give medical care within a community.

1. Comprehensive diagnostic service when a radiological procedure can be separated into a professional component performed by a physician and a technical component that is supplied by technical staff, equipment, overhead, and supplies. See also separate procedure to learn the difference between complete versus separate. 2. Main or large surgical procedure performed. See partial procedure to learn the difference between complete versus partial.

Formal request for payment transmitted to a third-party payer.