maximum allowable cost (MAC) list

Pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) or insurance health plan’s schedule or table that shows the greatest price they will pay for a generic drug. It is usually a dollar amount that is near the low end of the price scale. Participating pharmacies receive this list, and it may be reviewed from time to time by the PBM or health plan. If a member of the plan orders a brand name, he or she must pay the difference between the MAC price and the brand. See drug price review (DPR) .

Maximum benefit

Largest dollar amount that an insured may receive under an insurance policy. This insurance provision may be set annually or for the lifetime of the policy. It is generally indexed to inflation so that it increases as price levels increase.

Maximum defined data set

Under HIPAA, necessary data elements for a particular standard based on a certain implementation specification. The sender who creates the transaction may include whatever data the receiver might require. The receiver of the data may ignore any part of the data that is not necessary to carry on its portion of the business transaction unless some unnecessary data are necessary for coordination of benefits with another insurance company.