OBJECTIVES: The further role of private health care providers and privatization is under heavy discussion in Hungary. The aim of the study is to analyze the market share of for-profit private and not-for-profit sector from the expenditures on medical services of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration (OEP), to show its changes in the last decade and to show on which field they can be found. METHODS: The data derive from the financial database of the OEP, the only health care financing agency in Hungary, covering the period 1995-2005. The analysis includes the medical provisions (primary care, health visitors, dental care, out- and inpatient care, home care, kidney dialysis, CT-MRI). RESULTS: In 1995 only 6.9 % (12.5 billions Hungarian Forint, HUF) of total expenditure for medical services went to for-profit private providers. By 2005 the market share of for-profit private providers increased to 15.8 % (107.5 billions HUF). During the same period we realized a dynamic increase in the market share of non-profit sector: from 1.0 % in 1995 to 4.3 % in 2005. The role of for-profit private providers is dominant in the case of general practitioners, dental care, transportation, kidney dialysis, CT/MRI and home care (home nursing). The role of private providers in the two most important fields (out- and inpatient care) is still negligible (0.5-6 %). CONCLUSION: We realized a dynamic increase of market share of for-profit private providers and non-profit sector in many field of health care. Because of the low participation rate of private sector, in the field of out- and inpatient care the well-organized public-private partnership program, as a part of health care reforms, can contribute to the structural changes of health care.