Reimbursement method in which a managed care plan provides and pays for all health care services for an enrolled population of patients including physicians and hospitals. The plan accepts all risk for that population, which means it needs to keep costs for health care below the amount of premiums collected. A portion of the global cap may be withheld to pay for specialist care referred by primary care physicians. Each year excess funds may be either paid out or carried forward against future global capitation payments to the primary care physicians. Also called full-risk capitation, full-risk contract , or fully capitated .