Payers

Abstract

Most of what has been discussed in this book focuses on the provider and its relation to the patient as regards information systems. However, in the American health care system the connection between the provider and payer is critical to the smooth functioning of the system (Starr, 1997). This chapter focuses on the payer (or health plan). In many other countries, the operation would be different, but some way is always used to track the expenditure of resources and to pay health care workers.