OBJECTIVES: Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) based methods was introduced for acute hospital care reimbursement in 1993 in Hungary (H-DRG) and in 2003 in Germany (G-DRG). The aim of our study is to compare the development of DRG base rate in Germany and Hungary. METHODS: The Hungarian data derive from the financial database of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration (NHIFA), the only health care financing agency in Hungary. German data derive from German DRG Institute. We analyzed how the uniform, nationwide DRG base rate has been introduced in both countries. RESULTS: The German DRG system consists of 1200 disease groups, while the Hungarian contains ca. 736 groups. The German DRG base rate was hospital specific between 2003-2004. From 2005 to 2009 hospital-specific base rates converged to a state-wide base rate. From 2010 to 2014, the state-wide base rates should converge to a nationwide base rate. The German hospital specific bare rate varied between 2200-3200 EUR. In Hungary, a hospital groups specific base rate was applied for 16 groups of hospitals between 1993-1998 with a gradual converge of base rates. Middle level (county or regional) base rate was not introduced in Hungary. The nationwide uniform DRG base rate was set up in 1998 in Hungary. The Hungarian uniform DRG base rate was 518 EUR in 2012. CONCLUSIONS: Both Hungary and Germany applied a gradual implementation of uniform DRG base rate. Germany took three steps (hospital, Lander and nationwide), while Hungary took two steps (hospital group, nationwide) in reaching the nationwide uniform DRG base rate.