23. Financing of and Reimbursement for Integrated Care

This chapter delves into the complexities of financing and reimbursement for integrated care, highlighting the critical role of payment mechanisms in fostering better coordination among healthcare providers. It examines various innovative approaches, including bundled payments, shared savings, and global budgets, which are designed to incentivize coordination and integration. The text also explores the impact of these payment models on healthcare outcomes and costs, providing insights into their effectiveness and the challenges they present. Additionally, it discusses the importance of changing financing mechanisms to better integrate health and social care services, offering examples from different countries. The chapter concludes with a set of overarching observations on the need for sustained investment and the careful design of payment schemes to support integrated care.