IMF Engagement on Health Spending Issues in Surveillance and Program Work

Technical Notes and Manuals, December 22, 2023

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IMF Engagement on Health Spending Issues in Surveillance and Program Work

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Bibliographic details

• Authors: Mauricio Soto, Geremia Palomba, Carolina Bloch, Nick Carroll, Tohid Atashbar, Deeksha Kale, Baoping Shang, Kiichi Tokuoka, Ruud de Mooij, Guillaume Chabert
• Published: December 22, 2023
• Series: Technical Notes and Manuals
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400258732.005

Summary

• IMF country teams have become increasingly engaged on health spending issues in surveillance and program work, and more so since the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The primary objectives of health spending are to improve health outcomes and provide protection to households against high financial costs of health care.
• The Fund’s engagement on health spending issues is guided by an assessment of its macro-criticality, with the scope and purpose of engagement varying across countries and depending on whether it occurs in surveillance or program contexts.
• This technical note discusses how to assess the macro-criticality of health spending and reviews appropriate policy responses.
• The note emphasizes that the design and implementation of macro-critical health reforms often require specific sectoral knowledge and experience and stresses the importance of collaborating with development partners on health policy issues.

Major Findings and Analytical Points

• Engagement intensity: IMF country teams’ engagement on health spending has increased, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Objectives of health spending: Two primary objectives identified are to (1) improve health outcomes and (2) provide protection to households against high financial costs of health care.
• Macro-criticality framework: The Fund’s engagement is guided by an assessment of the macro-criticality of health spending; scope and purpose of engagement vary across countries and by context (surveillance versus program work).
• Policy response review: The technical note reviews appropriate policy responses conditional on the macro-criticality assessment.
• Role of sectoral expertise: Effective design and implementation of macro-critical health reforms often require specific sectoral knowledge and experience.
• Collaboration imperative: The note emphasizes collaborating with development partners on health policy issues.

Policy Recommendations and Guidance (as framed by the note)

• Base IMF engagement on an assessment of the macro-criticality of health spending for each country.
• Tailor the scope and purpose of IMF engagement depending on whether issues arise in surveillance or program contexts.
• Prioritize improvements in spending adequacy and spending efficiency to achieve health outcomes and household protection objectives.
• Leverage sectoral expertise and collaborate with development partners to design and implement macro-critical health reforms.

Key Publication and Metadata

• Authors: Mauricio Soto, Geremia Palomba, Carolina Bloch, Nick Carroll, Tohid Atashbar, Deeksha Kale, Baoping Shang, Kiichi Tokuoka, Ruud de Mooij, Guillaume Chabert
• Publication date: December 22, 2023
• Series: Technical Notes and Manuals No. 2023/008
• Issue: 008
• Volume: 2023
• Pages: 57
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400258732.005
• Stock No: TNMEA2023008
• ISBN: 9798400258732
• ISSN: 2075-8669
• Format availability noted: Download PDF; More Formats on IMF eLibrary; Order a Print Copy

IMF Technical Note: "IMF Engagement on Health Spending Issues in Surveillance and Program Work" (Technical Notes and Manuals 2023, 008).

Content in this bundle

• IMF Engagement on Health Spending Issues in Surveillance and Program Work; TNM 2023/08
  • IMF Engagement on Health Spending Issues in Surveillance and Program Work; TNM 2023/08 (Markdown version)
  • IMF Engagement on Health Spending Issues in Surveillance and Program Work; TNM 2023/08 (PDF)