Objectivity of reimbursement decisions - does it always has to pay off?

Rising health care needs impose increased pressure on limited budgets of health care systems around the world. Not only life expectancy is improved, but also increases awareness of patients on modern treatments. It, as a result, leads to the constant search for ways to rationalize health services better attuned to the ability to pay.

Analysis of the pricing and reimbersement criteria included in the Polish law.

Based on a literature review to specify criteria for the allocation of resources in the health sector and to compare them to those included in the "Act on reimbursement of medicines, foodstuffs intended for particular nutritional and medical devices".

Economic criteria dominate the rules governing the reimbursement process of pharmacotherapy in Poland. Referring to the principle of equity they focus on the ability to improve health. Two aspects are repeated frequently: cost-effectiveness and impact on payer's budget.

Selection of the allocation criteria was carried out in the Polish law to a limited extend, which may give rise to difficulties in making objective reimbursement decisions.