balance billing
Balance billing is a practice in which doctors or other health care providers bill you for charges that exceed the amount that will be reimbursed by Medicare for a particular service. If you doctors is a participating provider with Medicare (96 percent of doctors who provide Medicare-covered services are participating providers), balance billing is forbidden.
beneficiary
The beneficiary is enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid insurance and receives benefits through those policies.
beneficiary encrypted file
A beneficiary encrypted file requires your authorization before it can be read or used by health care professionals.
benefit period
Your benefit period begins the very day you enter a hospital for care or a skilled nursing facility. The benefit period ends when 60 days have passed since you last received either hospital care or care from a skilled nursing facility.
bereavement services
Families of Medicare enrollees who have passed away are entitled to bereavement services, including hospice counseling, up to a full year after the enrollee has died.