Prescription and indication cost-containment in the Czech Republic

Summary

Many cost-containment measures are enforcedin the Czech Republic to lower health care spending, among them is the provision that certain drugs are reimbursed only if they are prescribed by specialist or when prescribed to patient with certain health conditions, e. g. high blood cholesterol. In the last eight years the number of drugs with such restrictions rose more than twofold. Two cases of „cost-saving” bureaucratic measures which would bring costs increase instead were presented, and the genesis of one completely useless measure was described. In EU at least six countries define medical conditions for reimbursement (e. g. Sweden), but only in Austria and Netherlands the specialists are vaguely mentioned, and, unlike in CR, such measures are enforced only for highly specialized medicines such as biologics and new anticancer drugs. SWOT analysis for such measures is performed and more rational approach for cost-containment measures is recommended.

Keyword:
cost-containment measures in public health service – regulation of prescription drug costs