U inki sistema referen nih cen na oblikovanje cen zdravil = The Effect of the Reference Price System on Prices of Medicinal Products

The reference price system in Slovenia is used with the aim of managingand reducing public expenditures for medicinal products. Weaim to investigate whether the reference price system has had an effecton real price reductions for medicinal products. We present thereference price regulation system for medicinal products and empiricallyestimate the effect of price regulation on the development of realprices for medicinal products and its economic rationale. The mainthesis that the nominal and real prices for medicinal products have declinedduring price regulation is revealed by the Laspeyres index andWilcoxon signed ranks test, by confirming the existence of statisticallysignificant differences in prices for medicinal products. Therefore, weadopt the alternative hypothesis that prices for medicinal productshave declined during the price regulation system. The reference priceregulation system, with an efficient use of medicinal products and theirefficient supply, could have positive effects on management and reductionof public expenditure for medicinal products.