Headline Competence (learning outcome): 

• Describe the 3 core functions of health financing.
• Identify and describe the basic principles and rationales for the main methods of health financing including taxation, social insurance, and out-of-pocket payments.
• Analyze the challenges associated with these major methods of revenue raising for health financing.
• Describe the main methods of payment of healthcare providers and analyse their strengths and weaknesses.
• Evaluate the track record of these financing methods and provider payment mechanisms in terms of efficiency and equity
• Understand the principle of universal health coverage and its significance in promoting equitable access to healthcare services.
• Analyze the major challenges to achieving universal healthcare coverage and propose potential solutions to overcome these obstacles.
• Describe recent healthcare reform attempts such as pay-for-performance, health equity funds, and community-based health insurance, and evaluate their potential impact on healthcare access and quality.
• Assess the evolving roles of donors in healthcare financing and discuss their implications for healthcare access and quality in LMICs (Analysis).

Assessment Criteria: 

• What are the basic principles and rationale for the main methods of health financing (taxation, social insurance, OOP), and what challenges are associated with them?
• Analyse the different purchasing of services methods (the payment or allocation of resources to health service providers and health workers: capitation, fee-for-service, pay for performance)
• What is the track record of various financing methods AND provider payment mechanisms in your country, and in other LMICs? What are the pros and cons of each method in terms of efficiency and equity?

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