Paying for Health

Provides an overview and key evidence on what health financing is, why it matters and how it works in practice.

Health financing is key to universal health coverage (UHC), ensuring resources are allocated effectively for accessible, high-quality care. Beyond funding, it shapes health system performance and financial protection. This book offers essential insights for strengthening health systems and advancing UHC through sustainable financing strategies.Healthcare financing is key in defining interactions between providers and the general population. It determines who is required to pay for care, how much they pay, and what types of services patients can receive. It also helps shape markets for health service providers and innovations in service delivery, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Paying for Health brings together insights from over 50 global experts to provide a vital analysis of healthcare financing around the world, explaining issues related to funding both health and social care. It explores key aspects of health financing, delving into critical policy questions and examining strategies that shape sustainable, effective health systems. Offering real-world examples and evidence-based insights, this essential volume equips policymakers, researchers, and health leaders with the tools to design financing systems that drive progress now and in the future towards universal health coverage. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.