Summary

The East Asia and Pacific region is characterized by wide variations in sources of healthcarefinancing, pooling of funds, purchasing of care services, and the extent to which thesepolicy instruments and programs provide social protection. Existing healthcare financingsystems in the region are under increasing pressure from a continued prevalence ofcommunicable diseases, an emergence of non communicable diseases, and a rapidlyaging population.Large inequalities between the poor and the prosperous in their access to healthcarefinancing mechanisms can be reformed and strengthened to improve outcomes--especially for the poor. Financing Health Care in East Asia and the Pacific emphasizes theneed for high-quality, well-funded health systems that generate sustainable financing toensure optimal health outcomes and guaranteed financial protection. Adequate funding,however, will not be enough. Systems will need to manage and spend funds wisely.It reviews best practices and remaining challenges related to every function of healthfinancing both within countries and across East Asia and Pacific countries. The book willbe of particular interest to government leaders, policy makers, health economists, donors,and health service researchers.