Health financing is a core function of health systems that can enable progress towards universal health coverage by improving effective service coverage and financial protection. Today, millions of people do not access services due to the cost. Many others receive poor quality of services even when they pay out-of-pocket. Carefully designed and implemented health financing policies can help to address these issues. For example, contracting and payment arrangements can incentivize care coordination and improved quality of care; sufficient and timely disbursement of funds to providers can help to ensure adequate staffing and medicines to treat patients.
Health financing reforms cannot simply be imported from one country to another given the unique context of each country and its starting point in terms of health financing arrangements; the underlying causes of performance problems differ in each country and it is these causes which the reforms proposed in a health financing strategy must address.
Experience demonstrates that real progress is possible in countries at all income levels. Each country’s pathway will differ depending on the local context, however the above lessons are essential for equitable and effective progress.