Across the globe, health systems are being shaken on their foundations by the COVID-19 pandemic. By shedding light on risks or latent problems we were not aware of, the crisis constitutes a major test for our frameworks, the way we have structured our learning agendas, policy plans and action. COVID-19 and the financial crisis it triggered for the hospital sector invite us to look at health financing from the perspective of health facilities. The World Health Organization and the International Hospital Federation will partner to identify possible solutions that ensure the future of autonomous hospitals and their best contribution to the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goal.