methods of funding healthcare in other countries
Healthcare funding review research report 6
October 2000
Introduction
One objective of the BMA healthcare funding review is to consider different mechanisms for funding healthcare in the UK. This paper has been prepared to provide background information on the methods of funding healthcare and levels of funding adopted in other countries. It does not attempt to present an exhaustive analysis of funding mechanisms in other countries nor a description of each of them. Instead it outlines briefly the alternatives available, and examines their main features. It draws heavily on several recently published books and reports on comparative health systems and the use of material from these books is
acknowledged1. It concludes with a view on whether funding methods and levels influence the performance of the system and public satisfaction with it.
1 These are listed at the beginning of the bibliography.