Primary health care (PHC) is recognized as the cornerstone of resilient health systems, yet financing it remains a persistent challenge in many parts of the world. In Southeast Asia, countries continue to prioritize PHC in policy commitments, but questions remain...
A new Actuary article highlights how value-based care could reshape healthcare in Asia, improving outcomes, lowering costs, and addressing challenges from ageing populations to rural gaps. Healthcare systems across Asia are under increasing strain from demographic...
Australia’s private hospitals allege major insurers use unfair contract practices that hurt patient care and threaten hospital viability; insurers deny wrongdoing. Government is considering regulatory action as tensions disrupt private healthcare sector. Australia’s...
In October 2024, the Direction de la Planification de la Recherche et des Statistiques Cellule Économie de la Santé of Senegal's Ministry of Health and Social Action published a framework document on performance-based financing.
Belgium’s summer agreement reforms healthcare by limiting excessive doctor surcharges, ensuring fair billing and equal reimbursements, curbing pharmaceutical overspending, and promoting sustainable care while preserving provider autonomy. This marks a historic step...
Nepal's shift to federalism and the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) aimed for universal health coverage, but persistent structural flaws undermine strategic purchasing and system efficiency. The Ministry of Health and Population’s conflicting roles as...
As noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) place increasing strain on health systems in low- and middle-income countries, the need for sustainable financing solutions is more urgent than ever. With development assistance stagnating and domestic budgets stretched thin,...
The Federal Executive Council of Nigeria approved the establishment of Medipool, a purchasing organization designed to lower healthcare costs by negotiating competitive prices for essential medicines and healthcare products, thereby improving access to quality...
A report by the Korea Development Institute reveals that rising health insurance spending in Korea is primarily driven by increasing prices at clinics and outpatient services, leading to concerns about the system's sustainability. A recent report from the Korea...
The Office of Health Economics (OHE) published the research paper "Analysing Global Immunisation Expenditure" on April 15, 2025. This comprehensive study examines immunisation spending trends from 2016 to 2022 across ten countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France,...
Australia’s long-term care system operates within a tightly regulated, market-based framework that emphasises consumer choice and control. In this country report, published by the WHO Centre for Health Development, authors Sarah Wise, Michael Woods, and Kees van Gool...
As countries across the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR) increasingly rely on private providers to deliver health services, governments face growing pressure to ensure these purchasing arrangements align with Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals. This article,...
In response to growing interest among middle-income countries in the WHO European Region to engage private health-care providers (PHPs) within publicly funded health systems, the WHO Barcelona Office for Health Systems Financing has developed this primer to support...
Published in The International Journal of Health Planning and Management, the open-access short communication “Purchasing Primary Care Services for Quality Chronic Care: Capitation With Performance Payments in Four Countries” examines how provider payment reforms can...
This paper analyzes how cost-sharing impacts the use of outpatient and inpatient health services in China. The study reveals that increased cost-sharing for outpatient services leads to decreased outpatient usage while simultaneously increasing reliance on inpatient...
