Belgium

On June 8, 2023, Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) published an updated List of reimbursable devices and Nominative lists of brands to come into force on July 1, 2023. Three new material codes concerning cardiovascular and spinal procedures were introduced. Several new branded devices were registered on the Nominative Lists connected to new and already existing material codes.

On June 6, 2023, Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI/RIZIV) introduced a new convention to reimburse aspirational and mechanical thrombectomy catheters for arterial thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis, arteriovenous fistula, and pulmonary embolism. Funding will only be provided if there is a shortage of thrombolytic drugs in Belgium.

In March 2023, the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) updated the List of reimbursable devices and Nominative lists to take effect on April 1, 2023. Eight new codes for intracardiac transcatheter pacing systems with the corresponding conditions of reimbursement were added to the List, and two devices (Micra VR and Micra AV) were registered on the list of brands connected to that new codes.

On March 1, 2023, Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) updated three Articles of the Nomenclature related to in-vitro diagnostics. Twelve new codes concerning clinical biology, molecular biology for infections, and genetics were implemented.

In February 2023, the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) announced the completion of a pilot project for gene expression profiling (GEP) tests in early-stage breast cancer, which ran from 2019. The pilot showed significant benefits, and INAMI-RIZIV launched a reimbursement for certain tests under the specific agreement (GEP convention) with healthcare providers.

On January 09, 2023, the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) published 2023 tariffs for the “low variability care” (APR-DRG) system. APR-DRG logic for 2023 is not published as of January 27, so no information about its changes or new DRGs is available.

The Belgian healthcare system is gradually moving from a disease-management approach to a more person-centered integrated care approach. On December 19, 2022, the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) announced the extension of funding for integrated care pilot projects for the next two years. These projects are carried out in the context of a new inter-federal plan for integrated care.

Rehabilitation before or after a primary knee or hip replacement using a health app is temporarily reimbursed in Belgium under a specific agreement with the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV). Reimbursement was limited to patients participating in the clinical study. From October 01, 2022, all patients eligible for rehabilitation before and after a primary knee or hip replacement will receive it using a health app in combination with a certain minimum number of classic face-to-face physiotherapy sessions. Certain health apps must be included in the list of reimbursable mobile applications. For now, only one app (MoveUP Coach) is included.

On August 01, 2022, Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) launched a new reimbursement framework for remote medical consultations. The Nomenclature was changed accordingly: a new article 37, “Remote care,” was introduced with four new codes and fees for video and telephone consultations by physicians.

In July 2022, Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) announced the extension of temporary reimbursement for gene expression profile (GEP) testing for early-stage breast cancer detection until December 31, 2022, and for molecular biology tests by next-generation sequencing (NGS) until June 30, 2023.

On June 17, 2022, INAMI announced the launch of a new reimbursement framework for remote medical consultations from August 01, 2022. The reimbursement for remote consultations was first introduced during the COVID-19 crisis via "teleconsultation" codes, which will now be terminated and replaced by other Nomenclature codes for telephone and video consultations. Physicians will receive a higher fee for video consultations.

On June 01, 2022, the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) updated tariffs for the APR-DRG system. No changes in DRG logic were made, and no new DRGs were implemented.