Banner

Defining “Family”

Article

What are the rules for a physician who sees a member of her own family? I know immediate family members cannot be charged, but what does “immediate family” consist of?

Question: What are the rules for a physician who sees a member of her own family? I know immediate family members cannot be charged, but what does "immediate family" consist of?

Answer: According to the Medicare Carriers Manual, Section 2332, Medicare will not pay for services provided by immediate family members of Medicare beneficiaries. That exclusion applies even if your nurse or technician provides the service "incident to."

Medicare defines an immediate relative as your:

  • Spouse;



  • Natural or adoptive parent, child, or sibling;



  • Stepparent, stepchild, stepbrother, or stepsister;



  • Father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law;



  • Grandparent or grandchild; and



  • Spouse of your grandparent or grandchild.
Recent Videos
Pearls profiles: Get to know Neil Baum, MD
Pearls profiles: Get to know Neil Baum, MD
Are your patients satisfied?
9 pitfalls to avoid in your practice
Practice lessons from the works of Mark Twain
Practice lessons from the works of Mark Twain
The three stages of a physician's career
Using AI agents
Jennifer Wiggins
The three stages of a physician's career
Related Content
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.