This course provides students with thorough grounding in health systems and their financing. Beginning with an overview of the global context and diversity of health system, the course provides an introduction to key trends and challenges in financing health care, and a practical framework for analysis.

It provides an in-depth exploration of the health financing functions of mobilising, pooling and allocating funds, and purchasing health care services, and their implications for equity of access, quality and cost of care and financial protection. 

The course examines the advantages and disadvantages of different ways of raising revenue for health, both public and private; the importance of pooling; decisions about whom to cover, what services to cover, and how much of service cost to cover; allocating resources to purchasers, purchasing market structure and the principles of strategic purchasing; and the design of different methods of paying providers and the incentives they create.

On completing the course, students will be equipped with the knowledge and intellectual tools for analysing the design and implementation of health care financing policy in diverse contexts, and its implications for the attainment of health system objectives.