Which of the following is considered a third party payer?

Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are considered third-party payers because they act as intermediaries between patients and health care providers. In this role, HMOs take on the financial risk associated with health care costs for their members. They collect premiums from individuals and businesses and then pay providers directly for the services their members receive. This structure allows HMOs to manage care and costs effectively while providing access to a network of healthcare services for their enrollees.

In contrast, individual patients pay for their services directly out-of-pocket and do not serve as a payer in the healthcare system. Non-profit organizations may contribute to health care funding or support but typically do not function as payers in the same transactional sense as HMOs do. Pharmaceutical companies provide medications but do not directly pay for health care services; they may negotiate prices with insurers or government programs instead. Thus, HMOs exemplify the characteristics of third-party payers within the healthcare landscape.