The bare necessities? A realist review of necessity argumentations used in health care coverage decisions

Twenty argumentations pertaining to necessity of coverage of care are in use. Twelve of these are used either in favour of or against coverage, not both. Patients or the public putting the issue on the agenda favours coverage.

Policy makers and insurance companies only use half of the argumentations. All argumentations are used by patients, authors, the public and/or the media.