1. To take into one’s own family by legal process and raise as one’s own child. 2. To take up and use an idea or practice as one’s own.

One who becomes the legal parent of a child who was not born to him or her, such as a stepparent or relative.

Type of licensed adult board and care residence that offers housing and personal care services for 3 to 16 residents. Services may include meals, supervision, and transportation. The home may be a single family house. Such a residence is licensed as an adult family home or adult group home. Also called board and care home or group home.

Daytime community-based program for functionally impaired adults that provides a variety of health, social, and related support services in a protective setting.

Residential assistance for individuals older than the age of 18 who no longer can live alone and care for themselves and do not need daily nursing supervision. AFC is provided on a 24-hour basis in a state licensed homelike facility with 5 to 10 residents. AFC homes are categorized as assisted living centers and give general supervision and personal care services. They assist with self-administration of medications and assist with supervision of self-treatment of a physical disorder. Also called domiciliary care. See also assisted living center (ALC) and activities of daily living (ADL).

Used when billing medical services rendered at a residential care facility that houses Medicare beneficiaries who cannot live alone but who do not need around-the-clock skilled medical services. The facility services do not include a professional medical component.

Insurance policy that shows the name of the patient (insured or subscriber) as the policyholder.

Insurance policy that shows the name of the patient as a dependent on a second insurance policy.

Agreement given to the patient to read and sign before rendering a service if the participating physician thinks that it may be denied for payment because of medical necessity or limitation of liability by Medicare. The patient agrees to pay for the service. ABNs only apply if the patient is in the original Medicare program. They do not apply if the patient is in a Medicare managed care plan or private fee-for-service plan. May be referred to as an ABN-G (i.e., ABNs used by providers, physicians, practitioners, and suppliers). An ABN is also known as a waiver of liability agreement, responsibility statement , or notice of noncoverage. ABN-L refers to ABNs used when only laboratory services are being delivered. HHABN is an ABN used for home health services.