fee-for-service

noun

fee-for-ser·​vice ˌfē-fər-ˈsər-vəs How to pronounce fee-for-service (audio)
often attributive
: separate payment to a health care provider for each medical service rendered to a patient

Examples of fee-for-service in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The new fee-for-service codes will better accommodate more or fewer visits, either in person or remotely, based on individual needs. Michelle Andrews, CBS News, 3 June 2026 In fee-for-service medicine, a physician can prevent unnecessary hospitalizations, coordinate care beautifully, reduce complications, and improve outcomes—and much of the economic benefit accrues elsewhere. Sachin H. Jain, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026 Together, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) cover half of all children who have complex medical and behavioral needs or are at risk of developing them, but the current fee-for-service model doesn’t treat them holistically. Mehmet Oz, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026 The sweeping changes, if passed by the state legislature, would consolidate all Medicaid billing under a fee-for-service model through which the state directly pays providers for services rendered. Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 14 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fee-for-service

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fee-for-service was in 1945

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fee-for-service.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fee-for-service. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.

Medical Definition

fee-for-service

noun
fee-for-ser·​vice ˌfē-fər-ˈsər-vəs How to pronounce fee-for-service (audio)
: separate payment to a health care provider for each medical service rendered to a patient
often used attributively
a fee-for-service group plan
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster