The challenge of financing care for individuals with multimorbidities

All OECD countries will face a growing population of older people with complex needs but despite this common challenge they have taken different approaches to financing services. The main thesis of this chapter is that we are at a crossroads in thinking about financing care for older people with multimorbidity and multiple needs. One path leads to detailed care plans, bundling payments, transferring risk and traditional market competition. The other path leads to whole system targets with minimum specification, pooled budgets and innovative market models. Demographic and epidemiological realities will force governments to chose and they need to think carefully about which direction to go.