DRG

On March 17, 2021, NHS Digital released HRG4+ 2021/22 Local Payment Grouper. In general, there were no significant changes in the HRG logic for 2021/22, and no new HRGs were introduced. Two new ICD-10 codes for COVID-19 were incorporated into the grouping logic in addition to three codes already included in the consultation grouper. Furthermore, three new Main Speciality Codes (MSC) and 25 new Treatment Function Codes (TFC), which were introduced in April 2020, became mandatory to use in Grouper from April 2021. These codes concern a wide specter of areas of care.

On March 31, 2021, the Order of the Ministry of Solidarity and Health on the 2021 DRG system was published in the Official Journal of the French Republic. The Order includes information on the 2021 updates of the DRG system, DRG tariffs, supplements for private and public hospitals, as well as the tariffs for specific packages (emergency treatment package, ATU; small equipment package, FFM; safety and hospital environment package, SE; administration package for pharmaceutical products, services, and specialties in a hospital environment, APE) applicable to the procedures performed in a hospital environment but without hospitalization, etc.

On March 1, 2021, the Technical Agency for Information on Hospitalizations (ATIH) published the preliminary version of the French DRG manual for 2021.

In December 2020, the Norwegian Directorate of Health published a final version of the DRG system (Innsatsstyrt finansiering, ISF) for 2021. The new DRGs cover the endocrine procedures, diabetes, and physical exercise therapy areas.

On November 3, 2020, the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) published the critical features of the first release of the DRG package for the 2022 (RZ22a). Sixteen new procedure codes and three new DRG groups will be implemented.

In late November 2020, the Danish Health Authority has published DRG tariffs, as well as psychiatric and rehabilitation rates for 2021.

On November 5, 2020, the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) published the third release of the DRG package for the 2021 (RZ21c) to implement reimbursement for extra beds in intensive care and added the pathway for new optional add-on services (using fast-track decision-making).

In late October 2020, the Swedish prospective cost-weights for NordDRG 2021 were released by the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen).

On October 13, 2020, the Norwegian Directorate of Health published a preliminary version of the DRG system (ISF) for 2021. Four new DRGs were introduced.

In late September 2020, the Swedish version of NordDRG for 2021 was issued by the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen). Four (4) new DRGs were added, and few minor changes in DRG names and logic were made.

On 22nd June 2020, the company in charge of the development of the DRG system in Switzerland, SwissDRG SA, has announced the catalog version of SwissDRG 10.0/2021 (2018/2021). Seven days later, the planning version of SwissDRG (2019/2021) has been published as well.

Thirteen new MELs (DRGs) were introduced into the LKF 2020 model for the inpatient and outpatient settings.