Here are definitions of some of the terms that are used throughout the site.

Mailing Address: The address used for receipt of postal delivery.

Managed Care: A health care delivery system, comprising a spectrum of financial and structural relationships among purchasers, insurers, providers and members, designed to favorably affect the balance of access, cost, and quality of health care for a defined population of subscribers and members.

Manual Lymph Drainage: A massage technique which uses gentle, rhythmic pressure to stimulate lymphatic flow.

Manual Therapies: Any hands-on technique, especially therapeutic manipulation of body structure, e.g., deep tissue or connective tissue. See also CranioSacral Therapy, MyofascialRelease, PolarityTherapy, Reflexology, Reiki, Rolfing, RosenMethod, TherapeuticTouch and TriggerPoint/Myotherapy.

Massage: Any hands-on technique for relaxation or health enhancement. For more information, visit American Massage Therapy Association.  See also Shiatsu Massage, Sports Massage, Swedish Massage, and Therapeutic Massage

Maternity Care: The care and treatment related to pregnancy and delivery of a newborn child.

Medicaid: A joint federal and state program that provides hospital expense and medical expense coverage to the low-income population and certain aged and disabled individuals.

Medicaid Provider Number: The number under which you file Medicaid claims.

Medical Equipment: See Durable Medical Equipment (DME).

Medical savings account: A tax-exempt trust or custodial account established for the purpose of paying medical expenses in conjunction with a high-deductible health care plan. The MSA is the former name for what is now called the health savings account in the United States. The provisions of the MSA were made more advantageous and available to more people in the new HSA. The changes were made in legislation signed by George W. Bush on December 8, 2003.

Medical Group Affiliation(s), If Applicable: A medical group with which the doctor contracts. How information is collected: Initial Application. When is the information updated: At such time notified by BCBSNC Network Management or when group sends notice and subsequently confirmd via verification of data in Power or NM. Limitations: Rely on notification of NM or the Group.

Medical Supplies: Disposable health care materials that include ostomy supplies, catheters, oxygen and diabetic supplies.

Medically Necessary: Those covered services or supplies that are:

1. provided for the diagnosis, treatment, cure or relief of a health condition, illness, injury or disease;
2. not for experimental, investigational or cosmetic purposes;
3. necessary for and appropriate to the diagnosis, treatment, cure or relief of a health condition, illness, injury, disease or its symptoms;
4. within generally accepted standards of medical care in the community;
5. not solely for the convenience of the insured, the insured's family or the provider.

Medicare: The program of health care for the aged, disabled and individuals with end stage renal disease established by Title XVIII of the Social Security Act of 1965, as amended.

• (Part A) - Covers Medicare beneficiaries for inpatient hospital, home health, hospice, and limited skilled nursing facility services for a limited duration. Beneficiaries are responsible for deductibles and copayments. Part A services are financed by the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund.
• (Part B) - Covers Medicare beneficiaries for physician services, medical supplies and other outpatient treatment. Beneficiaries are responsible for monthly premiums, copayments, deductibles, and balance billing. Part B services are financed by a combination of enrollee premiums and general tax revenues.

Medicare Supplemental: A private medical expense insurance policy that provides reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses, such as deductibles and coinsurance payments, or benefits for some medical expenses specifically excluded from Medicare coverage.

Member: A subscriber or dependent, whose Enrollment Application or Change Form has been accepted and for whom premium is paid.

Member ID card: The card issued to a subscriber by BCBSNC as evidence of membership. This card lists the subscriber ID number, all policy members, copay/coinsurance information, customer service phone numbers and more.

Mental Health/Behavioral Health: Mental disorders, psychiatric illnesses, mental illnesses, mental conditions and psychiatric conditions (whether organic or non-organic, whether of biological, nonbiological, chemical or nonchemical origin and irrespective of cause, basis or inducement). This includes, but is not limited to, psychoses, neurotic disorders, schizophrenic disorders, affective disorders, personality disorders, and psychological or behavior abnormalities associated with transient of permanent dysfunction of the brain or related neurohormonal systems.

Monthly HSA contribution: The monthly HSA contribution amount, if you choose to contribute monthly.

Moxibustion: An Oriental medicine technique for the application of heat to an acupuncture point by burning an herb called moxa (artemisia vulgaris) near the skin or on top of a slice of ginger.

Myopia - (Commonly called nearsightedness.): Myopia causes objects viewed at a distance to appear distorted or blurry. It occurs when light rays entering the eye fall short of the retina. Myopia can occur from a cornea that is too curved or an eyeball that is too long.

Myotherapy: See Trigger Point/Myotherapy.

Myofascial Release: A manual therapy technique which works on underlying connective tissue or trigger points to facilitate the release of chronic muscular tensions restricting posture, movement and circulation.