New strides towards fair processes for financing universal health coverage

Abstract

Fair processes in health financing decisions should not be undervalued or perceived as secondary to the goals of universal health coverage. By integrating fair-process principles and criteria into health financing decisions, countries can achieve more equitable outcomes, strengthen the legitimacy of the decision-making process, build trust in public institutions and promote long-term sustainability of reforms.

Procedural fairness requires a comprehensive approach, which consists of three core principles of equality, impartiality and consistency over time. To translate these principles into real-world health financing decisions, countries can apply seven criteria, organized into three domains of information, voice and oversight.

Countries across income levels with different political systems and health financing arrangements have promising practices and experiments promoting procedural fairness. The report ‘Open and inclusive: fair processes for financing universal health coverage’ builds on insights from a wide range of fields and settings to highlight some of the key policy instruments to support countries in this journey.