capitation

C2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /kapɪˈteɪʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #181736

Meanings

1

noun
A system of remuneration for providers of health care, in which providers enroll patients as permanent clients and receive a fixed (and capped) periodic payment for each enrollee (i.e., per capita).

Capitation started out as a popular method for reimbursing primary care physicians/gatekeepers. Now capitated contracts can be seen in every area of healthcare... ... because of varying volumes, not all specialty care providers should be capitated at the same time. For example, higher volume services (e.g., laboratory, radiology, orthopedics, and cardiology) are usually first to be capitated. Specialists and other medical services that are used infrequently (e.g., neonatologists, neurosurgeons) or "high ticket" specialists (e.g., open heart surgeons) are usually capitated last, if at all. The cost of their services is relatively high and a miscalculation in projected membership or actual utilization can have a large financial impact.
2

noun
a tax levied on the basis of a fixed amount per person
3

noun
Performing a headcount; the counting of people.
4

noun
A head tax.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

4 noun · a head tax. poll tax

Word family

Related forms capitated

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin capitātiōnem, from caput (“head”).

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# capitation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /kapɪˈteɪʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 181736

## Meanings
1. A system of remuneration for providers of health care, in which providers enroll patients as permanent clients and receive a fixed (and capped) periodic payment for each enrollee (i.e., per capita).
2. a tax levied on the basis of a fixed amount per person
3. Performing a headcount; the counting of people.
4. A head tax.

## Examples
- Capitation started out as a popular method for reimbursing primary care physicians/gatekeepers. Now capitated contracts can be seen in every area of healthcare... ... because of varying volumes, not all specialty care providers should be capitated at the same time. For example, higher volume services (e.g., laboratory, radiology, orthopedics, and cardiology) are usually first to be capitated. Specialists and other medical services that are used infrequently (e.g., neonatologists, neurosurgeons) or "high ticket" specialists (e.g., open heart surgeons) are usually capitated last, if at all. The cost of their services is relatively high and a miscalculation in projected membership or actual utilization can have a large financial impact.

## Related Forms
- capitated

## Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin capitātiōnem, from caput (“head”).

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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