OBJECTIVES: the aim of the study is to evaluate willingness-to-pay threshold for the results of cost-effectiveness analyses for the society of the Republic of Belarus.

METHODS: a community-based survey was conducted among 1054 randomly selected respondents. The subject of the study was a subjective assessment of the value of health and medical care. General questions (age, sex, work, etc.) and special issues (willingness to pay) were included in the survey. 18 thousand dollars per year were chosen as the base value. This is GDP per person per year multiplied by three (2016). Cost values are presented in US dollars - $ (2016).

RESULTS: the basic amount (18 thousand dollars per year) was chosen as a threshold by about 18% of respondents (for themselves); and 23.5% chose it for household member. The willingness to pay threshold ranged from $ 5,216 a year (for themselves) to $ 6,525 per year for a household member. 72.8% of respondents agreed that the state has to approve the base value ($ 18,000) for a year of life of any citizen of the country. Gender and household income were also significant factors associated with the WTP/QALY values.

CONCLUSIONS: low levels of the threshold of willingness to pay were detected during the survey. This study’s findings clearly support the opinion that a single ceiling threshold should not be used for the resource allocation of all types of interventions. It is impossible to use these thresholds in assessing the acceptability of the application of new expensive medical technologies. These estimates can provide a useful input to inform resource allocation decisions and suggest that international CETs would not be routinely used.