Abstract

This paper presents a summary of what is known about the effects of various systems of health care financing and how they can be designed and implemented to be pro-poor and focuses on how funds for health are raised. It covers the principal financing mechanisms, the arguments used for and against different financing mechanisms and a summary of empirical evidence from actual implementation. It also looks at designing and implementing pro-poor financing schemes and provides key lessons for effective development and implementation of pro-poor financing policies.