This book from the Healthcare Payment Systems Series reviews and discusses the various types of payment systems in use by healthcare providers and third-party payers. Emphasizing the basic elements of any prospective payment system, it considers the variations that exist for paying for hospital inpatient and outpatient services, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, long-term hospital care, and rehabilitation facilities and providers. It pays particular attention to the Medicare MS-DRG, Medicare APCs, Medicare HHPPS, and the Medicare Skilled Nursing Resource Utilization Groups, as well as private third-party payers.