Methods of Payment for Primary Health Care in Russia and Foreign Countries

Abstract

Researchers in many countries are looking for effective ways to organize payment for primary health care and conclude that the method of per capita financing of clinics with fund-holding has both positive and negative aspects, which necessitates their obligatory consideration when deciding on the use of this payment method. The article, based on an analysis of the experience of foreign countries, shows that equal access to primary health care is ensured through the expansion of coverage of the population by services and regulation of the distribution of funds for health services. To improve the efficiency of the health system certain mechanisms of fine-tuning the existing methods of planning, organization and payment of health care, aimed at the end results of activities, are needed. Exploring the historical and international aspects of primary health care will result in more efficient implementation of the tasks of modernizing the primary health care level of the Russian Federation, approved by the Russian Government’s Resolution as of 09.10.2019 No. 1304, as well as of the activities within of the federal project “Development of the Primary Health Care System” being a part of the national health project “Health” developed in compliance with the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of May 7, 2018 No. 204 “On the national goals and strategic objectives of the development of the Russian Federation until 2024”. The purpose of the study is to analyze the ways to pay for medical care in foreign countries and compare it with the Russian experience of per capita payment on the principles of fund-holding. Methods of bibliographic and information search of sources in databases.