After a thourough development phase, a new system of health financing was introduced in Hungary in 1993. One of the cornerstones of the system was the financing of acute hospital care through Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs). This method was part of a comprehensive healthcare model, elaborated and published around 1990 by experts of Gyógyinfok, a public institute. The health financing system that was finally introduced reflcted in large part this theoretical model, while the current Hungarian system differs from it in some important respects. The objective of this article is to identify these points of divergence.
Keywords: Diagnosis-Related Groups; Homogén Betegségcsoportok; egészségpolitikai célok; finanszírozási rendszer; health financing system; health policy goals.