Economics and Health Financing in Global Health Systems

Health financing systems worldwide operate under distinct organizational models reflecting economic structures, institutional legacies, and political choices. I examine the Bismarck and Beveridge paradigms as archetypal financing architectures, their variants across regions, and implications for universal health coverage implementation. I review health financing frameworks endorsed by WHO, the Abuja Declaration's regional targets for health expenditure, and mechanisms protecting households from catastrophic costs. The analysis emphasizes that financing model selection involves trade-offs between equity, efficiency, and political feasibility. Understanding these structural choices is essential for policymakers designing or reforming health systems, particularly in resource-limited contexts pursuing SDG3 targets.