The development of the Saudi Billing System supporting national health transformation: methods and justification

Patient classification and standardized billing systems are critical for transparency in providing health care and financing. Working within the existing national patient classification mandate and clinical coding standards required innovative ways to adapt these systems to a private health insurance market (specificity, familiarity, existing license with modification rights and ability to build fee schedule), to address the requirements of a reformed and more value-based insurance market. Current mandated patient classification systems are a good basis for adaptation to serve the needs of the overall health care transformation in the country and a building block towards more transparency and VBHC.