The article presents a model of health care system funding in several European Union states. The author analyzes health care funding in the so-called “old” European Union which means the European Union before the last enlargement of 1 May 2004. After describing legal foundations of the European Union policy in the field of health care, the Polish model of health care financing is analyzed. The author deals in depth with health care funding in Germany, Great Britain, Sweden and France as they provide the most comprehensive, high quality and effective healthcare services which, however, are not free of problems. The author of the paper comes to the conclusion that in the European Union states there are two models of health care funding (insurance and tax models) and both of them have their advantages and disadvantages.