Paying the Piper, Calling the Tune: Implications of Changes in Reimbursement / Victor R. Fuchs.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fuchs, Victor R.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w1605.

NBER working paper series no. w1605

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Other Title:

Paying the Piper, Calling the Tune

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 1985.

Summary:

The United States is in the midst of a revolution in health care finance, the third since the end of World War II. Medicare's prospective payment system (PPS) based on diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), the State of California's hospital-specific contracts for Medi-Cal patients, deductibles and coinsurance, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and preferred provider organizations (PPOs) are among the best known symbols of the new era in health care finance. This paper analyzes the economic factors responsible for innovations in reimbursement, discusses the distinguishing characteristics of the new methods, and examines their potential impact on hospitals, physicians, nurses, and patients. The paper concludes by considering some fundamental problems of public policy with respect to health care.

Notes:

Print version record

April 1985.