what is ancillary services

Ancillary services refer to a variety of supportive or diagnostic measures that supplement and support a primary physician, nurse, or other healthcare provider in treating a patient. In the context of electric power, ancillary services are specialty services and functions provided by actors within the electric grid that facilitate and support the continuous flow of electricity, so that the demand for electrical energy is met in real time. Examples of ancillary services in healthcare include imaging tests, lab tests, pharmacies, physical therapy, and other services that supplement the work of primary physicians. In the healthcare industry, adding ancillary services to a practice can act as an additional revenue stream and improve the patient care experience. In the context of Medicare, ancillary services are medical services provided in a hospital while a patient is an inpatient, but paid by Medicare Part B (outpatient care) when the Part A (hospitalization) claim is denied because Medicare believes that it was unreasonable or unnecessary for the person to be admitted as an inpatient.