Stephani, VictorVictorStephaniGeissler, AlexanderAlexanderGeisslerQuentin, WilmWilmQuentinKlauber, JürgenGeraedts, MaxFriedrich, JörgWasem, JürgenBeivers, Andreas2023-04-132023-04-132020https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/11313210.1007/978-3-662-60487-8_4The aim of this chapter is to compare hospital payment systems across countries, and to identify what payment mechanisms are used beyond DRG-based payments. The focus is on payment mechanisms that aim to account for highly specialized, variable, or low volume care. The following countries were included in the analysis: Germany, Denmark, England, Estonia, France, USA (Medicare Part A). A questionnaire was developed to collect information about elements excluded from DRG-based payment, why this is the case, and what payments are available. The results were summarised in a model which serves to systematically describe, visualise and compare these payment mechanisms. The results show that all countries have implemented financing mechanisms in addition to DRG-based payment. In most cases, a large number of additional payment mechanisms are applied in order to allow adequate reimburse-ment forcomplex, rareorvariablecases. However, their complexity varies. While countries such as England and Germany use many different additional mechanisms, there are significantly fewer exceptions to DRG-based payment in other systems, such as the Medicare program in the US. Apart from that, care areas excluded from DRG-based payment differ significantly. In Denmark, highly specialised services provided in designated hospitals are excluded from DRG-based payment. In England, designated hospitals receive top-up payments when treating highly specialized patients. In view of the necessary and much discussed concentration of (highly) specialised services in Germany, future reforms of the hospital payment system could be inspired by the Danish (or English) examples and create incentives to support the concentration of highly specialized care.debook section