1.In the health care industry, what is "cost-shifting?"

a)When general practice physicians receive a referral fee from a specialized physician after recommending the specialized physician to a patient.

b)When one area of service at a hospital that is making negative profits must be balanced out by another area of service at the hospital that is making high profits; e.g. the profits from cardiac care balance out the losses in physical therapy.

c)When two medical offices merge and the more financially stable office must pay off the debt of the less financially stable office.

d)When privately insured patients are paying fees and reimbursements that are much higher than the fees paid for patients in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and higher than average payments from the uninsured.