Abstract:
Health is now widely recognized as a basic human right, and the urgency of some global issues has pushed global health policy to the top of the international agenda. This paper provides an overview of health financing policy in developing countries in order to assist policy makers and other stakeholders in the design, implementation, and evaluation of effective health financing reforms. The paper also highlights some policy recommendations for middle‐income countries, such as viewing efficient and equitable revenue mobilization as a top priority for health; promoting increased risk pooling; focusing on designing appropriate benefit packages for populations; and to be parsimonious with health spending to expand coverage to more people. Finally, the paper offers some lessons for lower‐income countries in light of the experiences of high‐income countries.
