OBJECTIVES: Sustainable healthcare financing plays a crucial role in achieving national health priorities of European countries, including to build resilient healthcare systems and achieve equity in access and outcomes. With mounting pressure on healthcare budgets, the objective of this research is to identify diverse, new, and underutilised health financing models and approaches implemented in Europe and promote dialogue on how such models could be applied more widely to address unique healthcare financing challenges.

METHODS: This study employed a mixed methodology, combining desk review of peer-reviewed and grey literature, expert interviews, and in-depth analysis of select financing models. The in-depth analysis examined how the models addressed funding challenges, the necessary enablers for effective implementation, and the opportunities for wider application and adoption across EU member states.

RESULTS: The research uncovered an array of health financing models being implemented across Europe to reallocate or mobilize new resources for health or to use existing resources more efficiently and effectively. Models examined include innovation access funds to improve patient access, catalytic and complementary EU regional funding instruments to improve healthcare systems and infrastructure, and health policies with targets to guide resource allocation and improve accountability. These models exhibit potential to be more widely adopted across the region to address unique challenges. The findings also shed light on enablers that support more diverse models of healthcare financing.

CONCLUSIONS:

This research emphasises opportunities for diverse financing models to sustainably address pressing healthcare financing challenges in Europe. By adopting these approaches, European countries can strengthen healthcare system resilience and improve equity in access and outcomes.