Payer

A payer is an individual or organisation responsible for reimbursing the costs of healthcare services and products. Payers are central to healthcare systems, acting as the financial intermediary between patients and healthcare providers (such as hospitals, clinics, and pharmaceutical companies).
The identity of the payer can vary depending on the healthcare system:

• Public Payers: In countries with universal healthcare, the government or a public body (e.g. the National Health Service in the UK) is the primary payer.
• Private Payers: In systems like that of the United States, private health insurance companies are the dominant payers.
• Individual Patients: Patients can also be a payer when they pay for services directly out-of-pocket, or through co-payments and deductibles.

Payers often rely on evidence-based assessments, such as health technology assessments, to inform their decisions on whether to reimburse a new medicine, device, or procedure.