Ravimikulud

Ravimikulud, Estonian for "drug costs," is a term used in health economics to describe expenditures on medicines within a health-care system. They include public sector spending on prescription drugs, private purchases by individuals, and reimbursements paid by insurers or government, as well as related services such as dispensing and administration that are captured in health accounts. Ravimikulud are a component of total health expenditure and are commonly analyzed by per-capita spending, share of total health expenditure, and trends over time.

Measurement: Key indicators are total pharmaceutical expenditure, per-capita pharmaceutical spending, out-of-pocket expenditure on medicines, and the share covered by public or private reimbursement schemes. Data are drawn from national health accounts, pharmaceutical expenditure surveys, and international databases such as the OECD.

Determinants: Prices of medicines, the availability of generic alternatives, prescribing patterns, disease burden, aging populations, and reimbursement policies influence ravimikulud. Policy levers include price regulation, reference pricing, generic substitution, timely entry of generics, formulary listing, and patient cost-sharing.

Policy implications: High ravimikulud can affect affordability and access to essential medicines, while underfunding may limit access and adherence. Governments often pursue reforms to balance incentives for pharmaceutical innovation with affordability and access.

See also: Pharmaceutical policy, health economics, reimbursement, generic substitution, formulary.