Not surprisingly, increases in payments to physicians have been growing at rates well above that of general inflation under Medicare's system of basing payments on customary charges.

Until now, there was, in effect, a separate fee schedule for each doctor, based on such factors as the doctor's customary charges and the prevailing local rates.

I billed Medicaid, submitting my usual and customary charges.

Members of a point-of-service plan should also try to determine their insurer's definition of "customary" charges.

He waived the customary charge imposed for services on the High Holy Days.

There would be a schedule of approved fees that, taken as a whole, would not be lower than customary charges in the area now.

Medicare currently pays doctors according to the lowest of their actual or customary charge for a service or the prevailing charge in the area.

This was the customary charge on professional military officers who did not join the rebels in 1936.

The insurance company pays out of network providers according to "reasonable and customary" charges, which may be less than the provider's usual fee.

The limits, calculated at 15 percent above rates established by Medicare for the same procedures, are often far below doctors' customary charges to patients with private health insurance.