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Glossary

This glossary explains terms in the Medicare program, but it is not a legal document. The official Medicare program provisions are found in the relevant laws, regulations, and rulings.


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Term Definition
TELEMEDICINE

Professional services given to a patient through an interactive telecommunications system by a practitioner at a distant site.

TIERS

To have lower costs, many plans place drugs into different "tiers," which cost different amounts. Each plan can form their tiers in different ways. Here is an example of how a plan might form its tiers.

Example:

  • Tier 1 - Generic drugs. Tier 1 drugs will cost you the least amount.
  • Tier 2 - Preferred brand-name drugs. Tier 2 drugs will cost you more than Tier 1 drugs.
  • Tier 3 - Non-preferred brand-name drugs. Tier 3 drugs will cost you more than Tier 1 and Tier 2 drugs.
TREATMENT

Something done to help with a health problem. For example, medicine and surgery are treatments.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

The choices you have when there is more than one way to treat your health problem.

TRICARE

A health care program for active duty and retired uniformed services members and their families.

TRICARE FOR LIFE (TFL)

Expanded medical coverage available to Medicare-eligible uniformed services retirees age 65 or older, their eligible family members and survivors, and certain former spouses.

TTY

A teletypewriter (TTY) is a communication device used by people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a severe-speech impairment. A TTY consists of a keyboard, display screen, and modem. Messages travel over regular telephone lines. People who don?t have a TTY can communicate with a TTY user through a message relay center (MRC). An MRC has TTY operators available to send and interpret TTY messages.

*NOTE: An asterisk (*) after a term means that this definition, in whole or in part, is used with permission from Walter Feldesman, ESQ., Dictionary of Eldercare Terminology, Copyright 2000.

This glossary explains terms in the Medicare program, but it is not a legal document. The official Medicare program provisions are found in the relevant laws, regulations,and rulings.
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Page Last Updated: March 27, 2008