A health care delivery system in which prices for health services and payment methods are the same, regardless of who is paying, to minimize the shifting of costs from one payer to another.

system in which prices for health services are the same for all parties paying for these services. For instance, in an all-payer system, the federal or state government, a private insurer, a self-insured employer plan, an individual, or any other payer would pay the same rates. The uniform fee bars health care providers from shifting costs from one payer to another.

A plan requiring all payers of health care bills--the government, private insurers or an individual--to pay the same price for the same medical service. Uniform fees would eliminate cost shifting.