Background: Rapid increasing pharmaceutical spending on the one hand and limited budgets on the other hand are problems confronting health expenditure. Policymakers have realized that without the negative effect on quality of care, they can control pharmaceutical spending. Methods: The study methodology involved a targeted review of the literature on cost containment policies, their implementation issues, advantages, and disadvantages. Then, all proposed strategies were investigated through interviewing insurance experts. Finally, these policies were prioritized with respect to their adherence to the main issues of performance. Results: Considering implementation costs, durability, and feasibility, six policy options have been proposed as follows: stopping non-prescription medicine reimbursement, using a tiered-coinsurance mechanism, establishing prescriptionguidelines, implementing cost-effectiveness-studies, employing scientific bargaining methods, and using different levels of reference pricing. Conclusions: Despite the possibility of some physicians' resistance, preparing prescription guidelines and their gradual enforcement is considered as the first choice. Next, it seems that reference pricing is the most feasible policy. It is in spite of some confusion and dissatisfaction, which might
digital health solutions. Published MIBs outlined evidence from both real world observational studies and controlled trials. CONCLUSIONS: Although noncompulsory, the number of published MIBs is rising, suggesting an increasing focus on new innovations within the UK NHS. MIBs provide a forum for communicating the effectiveness, safety, costs and resource implications of medical technology solutions across a range of applications. Since MIBs do not include recommendations, more detailed guidance is needed to help manufacturers develop robust evidence-bases and assist stakeholders with decision-making regarding which are the most clinically-effective, resource-efficient and/or cost-effective options in comparison with standard care.
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